Pressure Mounts on Buhari to Allow Angry Nigerians Protest

A cross-section of Nigerians and groups have expressed anger over an order by the Nigeria Police cancelling the February 6 nationwide anti-government protests to be led by singer, Tuface Idibia.
The organiser of the protests, tagged #IStandWithNigeria, had said the planned protests were to draw the attention of the present government to the hardship in the country as a result of high inflation rate, shortage of food and other social problems. 

They are scheduled to hold simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano.

The Police on Friday called on the protests conveners to call off their planned gathering, saying it might lead to a breakdown of law and order.

The force said it learnt that apart from the protests being planned by Idibia, other interest groups were also planning a counter-protest, which might lead to clashes and attendant loss of lives.

But earlier, Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to VP President Yemi Osinbajo, had said that “Nigeria is a free country. Lawful assembly is permitted (for Nigerians) to express themselves.

“This administration is not in the business of stopping people’s rights. The most important thing is to ensure a peaceful assembly.”

When asked specifically if the Presidency was not concerned that the Abuja protest is scheduled to take place on a day Buhari is expected to resume work, Akande said, “They are free to protest any day they choose.”

Spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said move by the Police to stop the protest “would be working against the Nigerian Constitution.”

Spokesperson for the Ijaw Youth Congress, Mr. Eric Omare, said “We are in support of the planned protest by Tuface and the government should not try to stop it.”

President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, said it “would be out of place for the police under a democratic government to threaten to subdue peaceful protesters.”

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights admonished “the police and the government to provide protection to the Nigerian people who have found their voices and are ready to give concrete expression to their voices.

“I, therefore, urge the good people of Nigeria, especially those who reside in Lagos, to join us en masse at Ikeja for the rally. We cannot be intimidated in our own country by the same people who are paid to protect us.”

Chairman, Civil Societies Coalition for Emancipation, Osun State, Suleiman Adeniyi, said:

“No President or commissioner of police has the right to stop Tuface [or any Nigerian] from staging a peaceful protest because it will be undemocratic.”

NLC, TUC and others have also declared their support for protest. #NaijaGoBetter

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