A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has insisted that
Nigerians deserve the right to protest against the President Muhammadu Buhari
adminstration over the increasing rate of insecurity in the country.
Falana, while reacting to a statement by the Presidency said
the current government does not have the power to stop Nigerians from
protesting alleged poor handling of security by the military.
The Presidency in a statement by Senior Special Assistant to
the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had accused some opposition
politicians of inciting Nigerians to hold protests against the service chiefs
However, Falana warned the police and security agencies
against harassing or molesting any protester, adding that Nigerians do not need
permission from the Presidency to protest.
He further recalled how Buhari, the Minister of
Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and other leaders of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) led a protest against insecurity on November 14, 2014, during
Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Falana said: “The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force
must not harass Nigerians who seek to protest in the country.
“A group of citizens were allowed sometime last week to
demonstrate in Abuja in support of the prosecution of the counter-insurgency
operations by the service chiefs.
“The group told the Federal Government to expel Amnesty
International from Nigeria for criticising the service chiefs.
“Now Without any evidence whatsoever the Presidency has
alleged that those who are calling for the replacement of the service chiefs
are working for the Boko Haram sect
“But, since Nigerians have the fundamental right to demonstrate
for or against the Federal Government without official fiat the Presidency has
no power to stop any peaceful protest in the country.
“The court had earlier affirmed Nigerians have the right to
assemble and protest peacefully in the case of All Nigerian People’s Party V.
Inspector-General of Police (2008).
“It was in the exercise of the right of freedom of
expression that APC leaders including General Muhammadu Buhari, Chief John
Oyegun, and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi had participated in the protest held at Abuja on
November 20, 2014, against insecurity under the erstwhile Jonathan
administration.”
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