The family of 24-year-old tailor Abubakar Adam Abdullahi is seeking justice, accusing the police of killing him during recent nationwide protests against the high cost of living in Kaduna, northern Nigeria.
Local authorities deny involvement in his death, and a spokesman for the Kaduna state governor claims no fatalities have occurred from the protests there. However, Amnesty International disputes this, reporting that three people have been killed in Kaduna alone.
Abubakar’s brother, Ismail, told the BBC that Abubakar was shot in the chest by police on Thursday and later died at Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital. “All we want is justice for our brother,” Ismail said.
In the five days since the protests began, police claim at least seven people have been killed, 700 arrested, and one protest leader detained. Despite warnings from President Bola Tinubu, thousands of Nigerians have joined the demonstrations, driven by concerns over the rising cost of living and inspired by recent successful rallies in Kenya.
Abubakar, the youngest of 14 siblings, was living with his parents in Kaduna and had ambitions of starting his own family and career. Rising costs, including for materials, food, and rent, led him to participate in the protests.
Footage from the scene shows Abubakar among a group of young men protesting and then attempting to flee as if being chased. Witnesses and Abubakar’s brother report that the shooting occurred near the Kaduna governor’s office, after which Abubakar told his friends he was tired and wanted to go home. Subsequently, police reportedly opened fire, and Abubakar was seen collapsing on the ground, with his friends shouting “officer stop” and “they shot him” in Hausa.
