Nigerian authorities have been urged to uphold the right to peaceful protest, as enshrined in the constitution and international treaties like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
This was made known by the Amnesty International on Tuesday following the recent arrest of five activists in Kano which it stated highlights a troubling trend of intolerance towards dissent.
Amnesty International and the National Human Rights Commission stress that security forces must facilitate peaceful assemblies rather than suppress them.
“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s own constitution and human rights treaties including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“People must be allowed to freely exercise their right to peaceful protest. The arrest of five activists by the police in Kano yesterday shows the authorities’ intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
The ongoing economic crisis, marked by soaring food prices, has fueled public discontent, making it crucial for authorities to respect citizens’ rights to express grievances peacefully.
Despite the warning, the Nigerian state’s security agencies attacked peaceful hunger protesters in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other states who were demonstrating against the country’s economic hardship on the Independence Day celebration.
