CUPP rejects ban on protest and use of Armed thugs to attack protesters

… Opposition advises Army Chief of Staff not to drag Nigeria Army into
further politics

… Urges Army Chief to show force against Bokoharam

The Nigerian opposition coalition of united political parties (CUPP) Thursday rejected the ban on protests in Abuja .

Crimefact.News reported how the federal capital territory (FCT) authorities banned EndSARS /EndSWAT protesters from protesting in Abuja.

In a statement by it’s spokesperson, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the coalition Urges government to focus on ending brutality of security forces and
insecurity and corruption ridden administration as key to ending protests.

He said, “It must be stated that instead of addressing the genuine issues of the
protesters, agents of the Federal Government, its agencies, allies and
supporters have resorted to hiring armed thugs to attack the peaceful
protesters. This act is not only provocative and barbaric, it is also
illegal, autocratic, primitive and capable of igniting more confusion
and clear signs government is not ready to end brutality against
citizens.”

“The opposition hereby warns the ruling APC,their armed groups and
security forces to respect the constitutional rights of the patriotic
young Nigerians to protest and not hide under the cover of Covid-19
regulations which government officials have not obeyed themselves as a
reason to ban protests.”

“That statement from the Nigerian Army threatening peaceful Nigerians is
a joke taken too far. The protests are wholly a civil action and does
not in any way concern the Army. Or is a day like this why the President
has refused to sack the Service Chiefs? Nigerians are in shock and the
entire world is amazed that we could degenerate so quickly to such pre
civilization era,” he stated.

CUPP urges the Federal Government to focus on ending brutality of
security forces and insecurity worsened by a corruption ridden
administration. Good students of history will tell this government that
such violent suppression which it plans against innocent peaceful
citizens has never worked and will not work. It will only backfire.

Speaking further, ” Handlers of the President are hereby advised to continue telling the
President until he hears that addressing the issues is the only way out
and not this plot to deploy primitive force and avoidable loss of lives, he said .