The Leadership of the Northern Youth, has criticized Amnesty International over its recent report on the alleged killing of five people in Kano, accusing the organization of bias, selective outrage, and deliberate attempts to tarnish the image of Kano State.

It is clear that, the statement of Amnesty International is reckless, unbalanced, and politically coloured, looking at how the organization has rushed to label the incident as politically motivated without carrying out a fair and comprehensive investigation.

The more disturbing on the report of the Amnesty International, is how it has consistently concentrated its attention on Kano while allegedly paying little attention to insecurity and violent incidents occurring in several other states across the country.

Many communities in different parts of Nigeria have continued to experience serious security challenges leading to loss of lives and displacement of innocent citizens, yet such incidents do not always receive the same level of international attention and condemnation, directed at Kano State

The clash that occurred on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, was a confrontation between rival groups of thugs with a long history of violent rivalry, insisting that there was no evidence linking the Kano State Government or any political actor to the incident.

We categorically fault the Amnesty International for allegedly relying on viral videos and unverified claims to make sweeping accusations against the APC stakeholders in the State, or government officials, warning that such narratives could inflame tension and mislead the international community.

“It is unfortunate that Amnesty International has chosen to politicize a criminal routine clash among hoodlums in order to create a false impression against Kano State and its leadership

We clearly accuse the organization of operating double standards by amplifying incidents in Kano while allegedly paying little attention to other parts of the country where similar security concerns are reported.

The Northern Youth Assembly shall continue to maintain the branding of the incident as political thuggery, without concrete evidence, as the claim of the Amnesty International should best be described as irresponsible and deliberate action capable of damaging the reputation of innocent individuals and institutions.

We call on Amnesty International to stop what we term as selective activism and sensational reporting, urging the organization to embrace fairness, professionalism, and objectivity in addressing issues affecting Nigeria.

The people of Kano would not remain silent while external organizations continue to portray the state in a negative light through what could be best described as unfounded and exaggerated allegations.

Signed:

Dr. Mohammed Ali Idris

President,

Northern Youth Assembly

NYA

Dr. Hafiz Garba

Secretary General,

Northern Youth Assembly

7th May, 2026

Nigerian Democracy Working Group Faults Amnesty International Claims on the Alleged Killing of 5 people

The Nigerian Democracy Working Group strongly expresses concern over the recent report issued by Amnesty International regarding the tragic incident that led to the killing of five persons in Kano State.

While we condemn the loss of lives and support every legitimate effort aimed at ensuring justice and accountability, we find it disturbing that Amnesty International rushed to classify the incident as politically motivated without what appears to be a fair, balanced, and comprehensive investigation.

From available local accounts and realities on the ground, the incident of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, was a clash involving rival groups of thugs with a long history of violent rivalry.

At this moment, there is no publicly verified evidence directly linking the Kano State Government or political office holders to the unfortunate incident.

We are particularly concerned by what appears to be Amnesty International’s reliance on viral videos and unverified claims in making sweeping allegations capable of inflaming tensions and misleading the international community about the true situation in Kano State.

It is unfortunate that what appears to be a criminal clash among rival hoodlums is now being framed in a manner capable of creating a damaging impression against Kano State and its leadership.

We also observe with concern what appears to be a disproportionate focus on Kano State by Amnesty International, while several communities across other parts of Nigeria continue to experience serious insecurity, killings, and displacement without attracting similar levels of attention and condemnation.

The continuous branding of violent confrontations in Kano as political thuggery without conclusive evidence risks damaging the reputation of innocent individuals, institutions, and the state as a whole.

It is important to state that the Kano State Government under the leadership of His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has continued to demonstrate commitment towards addressing the menace of youth violence and thuggery. A clear example is the recently approved Safe Corridor rehabilitation programme targeted at repentant youths as part of broader efforts to tackle the root causes of violence and social unrest.

We therefore call on Amnesty International to embrace fairness, professionalism, and objectivity in addressing issues concerning Nigeria. Selective activism and sensational reporting do not strengthen democracy, nor do they contribute positively to peace-building efforts.

The people of Kano will not remain silent while external narratives continue to portray the state negatively through what we consider exaggerated, unbalanced, and insufficiently substantiated allegations.

We urge relevant authorities to conduct transparent investigations into the incident and ensure that all individuals found culpable are brought to justice in accordance with the law.

Signed:

Saed Adam Mohammed

Kano State Coordinator,

Nigerian Democratic Working Group

7th May, 2026

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Federal Government’s touting of Nigeria’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth, accusing the administration of celebrating abstract figures while millions of citizens grapple with hunger, inflation, and collapsing purchasing power.

In a strongly worded press statement issued on Wednesday, the opposition party said the government’s economic messaging is “disconnected from the harsh economic realities facing ordinary Nigerians.”

“People do not eat GDP,” the ADC declared, arguing that growth is meaningless unless it translates into lower food prices, job creation, stronger purchasing power, and improved living conditions.

The statement, signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said Nigeria’s reported economic uptick does nothing to ease the daily suffering in markets, farms, factories, and homes across the country.

“No government should be celebrating economic statistics while millions of its citizens are battling hunger, poverty, collapsing purchasing power, and rising hopelessness,” the ADC said.

The party specifically cited unbearable food prices, punitive transportation costs, widespread small-business closures, salary erosion, and rising unemployment as evidence of a deepening crisis — one it says official GDP figures fail to capture.

“Economic growth that does not reduce suffering, create jobs, improve incomes, or restore dignity to citizens is empty growth,” the ADC said. “Growth that only exists in official reports while citizens descend deeper into hardship is not meaningful progress. It is economic abstraction disconnected from human reality.”

The ADC urged the government to stop “celebrating statistics” and instead show humility, acknowledge the pain Nigerians are experiencing, and focus on policies that deliver measurable improvements in living conditions.

“The purpose of governance is not to manage public relations for economic statistics,” the party said. “The purpose of governance is to improve the living conditions of the people.”

Calling for an economy that works for ordinary citizens — through affordable food, stable electricity, decent jobs, lower business costs, and improved purchasing power — the ADC insisted that until growth is felt in people’s homes, the government has “no moral basis to declare economic success.”

“The true test of economic policy is simple: Can Nigerians live better today than they did yesterday?” the statement reads. “For millions of Nigerians, the answer is no.”

The Federal Government is yet to respond to the ADC’s criticism.