Boko Haram targeted recently resettled FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, families, killing at least eight returnees and ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY injuring 14 on 30 August in Ajiri, Mafa LGA, On 4 June, the authorities suspended Twitter Borno state. after the site deleted a controversial tweet Aid workers and humanitarian facilities were from President Buhari for violating its targeted by armed groups during attacks. On community rules. President Buhari had 3 March at least seven aid workers were threatened to deal with troublemakers in abducted and their offices burnt by ISWAP in Nigeria using “the language they Dikwa LGA, Borno state. Those abducted understand,” referencing the 1967-1970 civil were released on 14 June, alongside other war in which millions of Nigerians were killed. civilians. Twitter and other social media platforms were On 11 April the UN suspended its aid then ordered to register in Nigeria and operations in Damasak, Borno state, because comply with local regulations before they are of attacks on aid workers and humanitarian licensed to operate. facilities. About 65,000 people, including At least eight people were killed on 28 internally displaced people and locals, fled September during a crackdown by security Damasak following the renewed attacks by forces on members of the Islamic Movement ISWAP in April. of Nigeria who were embarking on the SECURITY FORCES Arba’een, an annual symbolic religious trek, The Nigerian security forces intensified in the capital, Abuja. counter-insurgency operations in North East In September, the Ebonyi state government Nigeria. Gross human rights violations and signed the state Cybercrime Prohibition bill crimes under international law – including into law. In October, Godfrey Chikwere, a extrajudicial executions, enforced journalist, was arrested by the police for disappearances, arbitrary arrests and social media posts that allegedly violated the incommunicado detentions – were recorded state’s Cybercrime Prohibition Law. during the security forces’ response to threats ACTIVISTS AND PROTESTERS by Boko Haram and ISWAP. On 12 June, police fired tear gas and shot On 15 September, nine people were killed live bullets into the air to disperse protesters and several injured during a military air strike in Lagos and Abuja. in Buwari village, Yunusari LGA, Yobe state. On 4 July, activists Larry Emmanuel, Anene The military said it had hit the village Victor Udoka, Samuel Gabriel, Henry Nwodo accidentally. and Ben Mannaseh were arbitrarily arrested On 14 July, 1,009 Boko Haram suspects and detained for 30 days by Nigeria’s secret who had been detained incommunicado police, the Department of State Services were cleared and released to the Borno state (DSS). They had been beaten by private government pending resettlement. security officers at a church in Abuja for Following the death of Boko Haram leader wearing t-shirts with the slogan Abubakar Shekau on 19 May, thousands of #BuhariMustGo, and were subsequently Boko Haram members, including teenagers, handed over to the DSS. voluntarily surrendered to security forces Prisoners of conscience Agba Jalingo, alongside their families. On 28 July, one of Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare the remaining Chibok schoolgirls, abducted continued to face trumped-up charges and in 2014, returned to the custody of the prolonged trials for organizing peaceful Nigerian military with her children and protests to demand good governance in husband. Another abducted Chibok Nigeria. schoolgirl returned on 14 August with her two Mubarak Bala, president of the Humanist children. Association of Nigeria, remained in detention following his arrest by Kano state Police Command officers in 2020 on allegations that Amnesty International Report 2021/22 277