Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has asked the Nigeria
police to apologise for violating the fundamental right of protesters to
freedom of expression.
As Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day on Saturday, protesters
stormed major cities nationwide to demand better governance and improved living
condition for citizens.
But the police fired tear gas at some of the those
protesting in Lagos, Abuja and Cross River, while others were arrested and
later released.
Falana said in a statement on Sunday that peaceful protests
are fundamental rights of Nigerians as provided for in the 1999 constitution.
He, however, noted that the constitution was violated by the
police who “banned rallies and protests throughout the country on June 12,
2021”.
He said: “For having the audacity to insist on their
fundamental right to protest against unpopular policies of Governments, teams
of armed police personnel fired teargas to disperse the peaceful rallies. As if
the unprovoked attack was not enough the Police brutalised and arrested scores
of protesters in Lagos, Abuja and Calabar.
“Since the protesters who were arrested during the peaceful
rallies did not commit any offence, they have since regained their liberty. But
the Police Authorities ought to apologise for violating the fundamental right
of the protesters to freedom of expression.
“More so that the Police had deliberately contravened
Section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 which provides that ‘Where
a person or organization notifies the police of his or its intention to hold a
public meeting, rally or procession on a public highway or such meetings in a
place where the public has access to, the police officer responsible for the
area where the meeting rally or procession will take place shall mobilize
personnel to provide security cover for the meeting, rally or the procession.”
The senior lawyer commended the protesters for “conducting
themselves in a peaceful manner” and condemned “the official lie that the
protesters were teargassed to prevent hoodlums and miscreants from hijacking
the peaceful rallies.”
“Why were the scanty pro-government protesters who were reported
to have fought openly in Abuja over their booty not arrested for breach of the
peace in the Federal Capital Territory?” he asked.
“The lessons of the unfortunate event of yesterday should be
learnt by all sides of the debate on human freedom. The nation should
henceforth be spared the periodic assaults on the civic space.”
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