Global Rights urgently calls on the Nigerian government to respect and protect the rights of protesters and to halt the escalating suppression of demonstrators nationwide.
A statement by Abiodun Baiyewu, Executive Director of Global Rights on 6th August 2024, said respecting human rights is paramount to upholding democracy and good governance, and urged protesters to remain peaceful and lawful.
“Since the #EndBadGovernance protests began on August 1st, the nation has witnessed widespread human rights violations.
Our primary concern is the excessive force used by law enforcement against peaceful protesters.
In cities like Lagos, Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Kano, and Nasarawa States, authorities have resorted to teargas and live ammunition, rather than non-lethal means, to disperse crowds.
Such actions starkly violate international human rights standards, where lethal force should only be a last resort after all other de-escalation tactics have failed.
Law enforcement should protect peaceful protesters, ensuring their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
It is unacceptable for security agents to allow thugs to threaten demonstrators and journalists covering these events.
We also decry the rise of hate speech during these protests, particularly targeting the Igbo ethnicity in Lagos State, amplified by the hashtag #SendIgbosHome on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
This divisive rhetoric echoes the ethnic profiling seen in the 2019 and 2023 elections, threatening national unity.
We call on law enforcement to investigate and hold accountable those spreading ethnic hate and profiling under the Cybercrime Act, of 2015.”
It therefore enjoined all Nigerians to condemn and demand accountability for such a divisive act while urging the government to restore the Internet access currently denied citizens as a result of the protest.
“Furthermore, the internet access disruptions reported in major cities are concerning. The internet is a vital information source, protected under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by Nigeria. Despite government denials, the history of restrictions, like the 2021 Twitter ban, undermines their credibility. We urge the government to restore full internet access and focus on addressing the root causes of the protests, such as insecurity and inflation.”
Global Rights expressed its steadfastness in advocating for citizens’ rights to good governance, as it continues to monitor the situation and demand accountability during this period.