The Nigeria Safety and Peace Solidarity Movement (NSPSM) has accused Amnesty International (AI) of exaggerating Nigeria’s security challenges, describing the organisation’s recent report as one-sided, demoralising to security forces and potentially destabilising to the nation.
At a press briefing held in Abuja, the NSPSM said the Amnesty report, which claimed that over 10,000 Nigerians had been killed in attacks by gunmen across several states, failed to reflect the true situation on ground and ignored the ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government and armed forces to restore peace.
Reading the statement on behalf of the movement, NSPSM Secretary, Andrew Paul Kato, questioned Amnesty International’s motive and credibility, alleging that the report was laced with bias and lacked balance.
“We are not here to speak for the military, but as Nigerians with a stake in what is happening, we make bold to say the Amnesty International report is not a true representation of efforts by the Nigerian government, especially the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa,” Kato said.
He accused Amnesty International of playing a contradictory role, highlighting civilian casualties while simultaneously defending the rights of arrested terrorists and armed bandits.
“It makes discerning Nigerians ask—who is Amnesty International really working for? Are they for Nigerians or against Nigerians? What do they really want from Nigeria?” he queried.
Kato also criticised the methodology of the report, claiming it relied on interviews from isolated localities like Maru Local Government in Zamfara State without considering frontline areas where the military is actively dismantling terrorist strongholds.
“Why did Amnesty International not go to areas where the military is decimating the terrorists to get a balanced report?” he asked.
He further stated that while the country still faces security challenges, significant progress has been made under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the current military leadership.
“The AI report did not exhaustively look at what President Tinubu and the Armed Forces are doing. We are not saying there are no issues, but the ongoing efforts outweigh the alarm being raised,” he said.
The group described the report as potentially harmful to national unity and the morale of troops, urging Nigerians to support the armed forces and reject narratives that threaten to deepen insecurity.
“We urge Nigerians to support our troops. They are working for us. Let us collectively reject any group working to cause disharmony and deepen the security challenges in our country,” Kato concluded.
The NSPSM’s statement comes amid growing tensions over the interpretation of security data and the role of international watchdogs in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
