Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Amid threats against the planned hunger protest scheduled for August I, Amnesty International, Tuesday declared that Nigerians had right to protest peacefully.
It, therefore, cautioned the Federal Government against any attempt to suppress the protest, saying it’s unconstitutional to use threat against peaceful protesters.
This is as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has told Nigerians that it’s not useful to protest.
AI in a post on its official X handle, said that threatening peaceful protesters was against international laws.
Recall that Presidential Aide, Bayo Onanuga, had warned that those behind the planned protest were planning civilian coup against President Tinubu.
Similarly, another Presidential Aide, Olusegun Dada, also warned that intending destruction of the country in the guise of protest would meet the strongest resistance.
He had said: “Those who want to burn the country down under whatever guise will meet the strongest resistance of their lives. Not from security agencies, but from the silent majority that gave their mandate to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for four years in the first instance. We are waiting,” he posted on X on Tuesday.
But AI stated that “Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest.”
AI advised the Federal Government and its agencies against denying Nigerians of their constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“Threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful. It is a clear attack on freedom of assembly — which is guaranteed by international law and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution:
“Nigerians must not be denied the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; through veiled threats of violence and false insinuations,” AI posted.
