A civil society group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has condemned the arrest, maltreatment and detention of peaceful protesters in Abuja, Lagos today.
The Statement read ,”Right to freedom of expression is a constitutional rights, It is also enshrined in Regional and International human right laws which Nigeria is signatory to peaceful protest is one of the means of exercising the right to freedom of Expression “.
“The protesters have not committed any crime or offence by protesting to demand an end to corruption, growing insecurity and mismanagement of the affairs of the country by the current administration led by Buhari. They are making legitimate demand for good governance which will benefit the majority of oppressed Nigerians including members of the Nigeria Police, Military and other Security agencies who are victims of bad government by corrupt politicians in government and their allies”.
“Those the security agents should tackle are bandits and corrupt elements within and outside government including those who engage in massive corruption and various acts of criminality “, the group said .
“The arrest ,maltreatment and detention of harmless citizens engaged in a patriotic struggle to rescue the country from the suffocating grip of selfish ,unpatriotic and incompetent operatives in power smacks of intolerance for alternative views .
” It is undemocratic, unjustifiable and casts this regime as illegitimate “.
The group further called for the unconditional release of those currently detained by various Police stations across Nigeria.
Earlier on Wednesday ,The Revolution now Protesters were seen across Nigerian cities protesting for a better governance and change in Nigeria.
However Security agencies apprehended many of them including rights activists. It was however reported that nobody was killed in the protest
