Amnesty International and Afri-Goal Foundation have condemned the arrest and clampdown on peaceful protesters demanding improved governance across Nigeria on Wednesday.
The groups also condemned the shrinking of civic space in Nigeria by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, which they also accused of gross abuse of rights of Nigerians.
Amnesty International in a tweet stated that protest was a human rights and no one should be arrested for embarking on such as long as it was peaceful.
It said, “Amnesty International received reports of the arrest and detention of many protesters who participated in #RevolutionNow protests across the country. Agba Jalingo and Olawale Bakare; both Prisoners of Conscience, are among those unlawfully arrested today.
Amnesty International received reports of the arrest and detention of many protesters who participated in #RevolutionNow protests across the country. Agba Jalingo and Olawale Bakare; both Prisoners of Conscience are among those unlawfully arrested today.
— Amnesty Int. Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) August 5, 2020
“We demand the immediate release of all protesters arrested today. Protest is a human right and no one should be arrested for exercising their right to freedom of assembly and speech.”
We demand immediate release of all protesters arrested today. Protest is a human right and no one should be arrested for exercising their right to freedom of assembly and speech.
— Amnesty Int. Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) August 5, 2020
Afri-Goal Foundation described the arrest of protesters as not only an abuse of power by security agents but also a gross violation of the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the protesters.
It said, “We urged the police and all other power-drunken officials to respect this fundamental right of the people.
“We demand the immediate and unconditional release of all protesters arrested today in Lagos, Abuja, Osun, Ondo and other states where protest action took place.”
Afri-Goal also asked the Nigerian Government under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to immediately release all those currently illegally detained and those undergoing different trumped-up charges.
The group threatened legal action against the government if it does not release all those illegally arrested across the country.
This is not only an abuse of power by the Nigerian police and military but also a gross violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right of the protesters.
2/7#RevolutionNow #RevolutionProtest #August5thProtest
— Afri-Goal Foundation (@AfriGoalOrg) August 5, 2020
“We urge the government to respect the rule of law and constitution guiding the affairs of the country.
“Afri-Goal supports every form of peaceful protest and will go all the way to ensure this right is respected by the government including legal actions against the government if need be,” it added.
Afri-Goal supports every form of peaceful protest and will go all the way to ensure this right is respected by the government including legal actions against the government if need be.
7/7#RevolutionNow #RevolutionProtest #August5thProtest @NigeriaGov @NGRPresident @PoliceNG— Afri-Goal Foundation (@AfriGoalOrg) August 5, 2020
