Siege on human rights office despotic, says group

The Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre has said the siege by security operatives on the secretariat of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in connection with the ongoing hunger protests across the country is a further indication of the gradual but steady descent to despotism in Nigeria.

In a statement on Friday, the Executive Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said when citizens exercise their right to peaceful assembly, the government must protect and facilitate the exercise of this right and not to suppress or restrict it.

Nwanguma insisted that the government must recognise and respect the rights of its citizens to express their grievances peacefully and seek accountability in governance.

He said, “Security operatives from the Nigeria Police and State Security Service besieged and surrounded the venue of a symposium planned for the last day of the three-day mourning in honour of citizens brutally and extrajudicially killed by security forces across Nigeria over the #EndbadgovernanceinNigeria protests across Nigeria.

“Security forces, in their brutal response to the peaceful protests by citizens against mass hunger and poverty and demand for good governance in Nigeria, have killed several protesters, injured several others and arrested and detained many.

“This siege at the CDHR Secretariat followed a similar siege the previous day by security forces on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja who ransacked the offices purportedly in search of materials connected to the protests.

“Siege by security forces on a peaceful assembly of Nigerian citizens is a cause for serious concern. The right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right that is recognized and protected by international and regional human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a party.”

He, however, added that security agencies clamping down on peaceful protesters violate this fundamental human right, adding that the government must recognise and respect the rights of its citizens to express their grievances peacefully and seek accountability in governance.

“The use of excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and detention of peaceful protesters undermines the rule of law and undermines the democratic principles of freedom of speech and the right to peaceful assembly.

“Government must respect and uphold the fundamental rights of its citizens, including the right to peaceful assembly. The use of force and coercion is not a solution to address grievances and could instead lead to further unrest and tension in the country. The government must engage with its citizens constructively to address their concerns and ensure inclusive development that benefits all citizens.

“Government should check overzealousness by security agencies who continue to violate the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and use lethal force against peaceful protesters. These actions demonstrate a worrying trend of militarization of state institutions in Nigeria and a disregard for democratic norms and values.

“As the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and operational head of the Nigeria police, the President has a responsibility to ensure the protection of citizens’ human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly and expression, within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law.

“The President should also publicly condemn human rights abuses, order an end to any further human rights abuses by security agencies and ensure that those responsible are held accountable. This will help to restore public confidence in state institutions and promote a culture of respect for human rights, which is essential for consolidating democracy in Nigeria,” the group added.