NHRC urges government to stop criminalizing protest

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the federal government and its law enforcement agencies to prepare for next protest rather than work at stopping it and criminalizing those organising the planned nationwide protest scheduled for October 1.

The Commission said that protest was an expression of one of the human rights that was internationally recognized.

It insisted that since the government had been given enough notice, it was the duty of law enforcement agencies to ensure that strategies were put in place to prevent hoodlums’ hijack as well as criminality during the period of the protest.

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It also condemned the blatant use of force and disregard for the rights to peaceful protest and assembly, freedom of expression and other associated rights exhibited by law enforcement agencies during the #EndBadGovernance protest held across the country last month.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu who disclosed this on Friday, while presenting the human rights situation dashboard, lamented that the action of security and law enforcement agencies led to tragic incidents of violence and loss of lives.

He said such actions represent a stark violation of the fundamental human rights of the Nigerian people, calling for unequivocal condemnation and justice.

According to the NHRC boss, who was represented at the event by his Special Assistant and the head of human rights monitoring of the Commission, Mr. Benedict Agu, the #EndBadGovernance protest was a bold expression of the masses’ demand for accountability and good governance.

Ojukwu,, said, the issue of displacement in the country is affecting countless individuals and communities adding that, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that, about 208,655 persons have been displaced in 22 states this year already, a stark increase from 2023 numbers.

He said that: “It is therefore imperative that government takes immediate and sustainable actions to address this pressing issue, ensuring the protection and well-being of all those affected by displacement and taking steps to avert the effects of flooding and other sources of displacement”.

The NHRC boss said the Commission’s monthly human rights dashboard serves as a critical tool in assessing the state of human rights in the country, providing invaluable insights and data that demands attention and action.

Presenting July and August 2024 human rights assessment dashboard of the Commission, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mr. Hillary Ogbona said that over 1, 200 people who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest last month have so far been arrested and detained by security agencies across the country.

While the Commission lamented that some of the protesters have been charged to court, it, however, noted with grave concern that they were detained beyond the period allowed by law before being taken to court.

According to the dashboard, a total of 414, 200 complaints of human rights abuses were received by the Commission across the country in the last two months, insisting that protest is not a crime but a legitimate way of expressing grievance against unfavourable government policies and programmes.

Ogbona said: “Government should not attempt to stop protest but to guide it. At the same time, the government should not lump genuine protesters with criminals. You don’t arrest and detain people for protest.

“Looting and destruction of properties are not protests but acts of criminalities which should not be regarded as part of peaceful protests.

“From this side, it is a fact that private and public properties were looted during the last protest and we hereby appealed to government to identify and evaluate the losses of victims for the purpose of supporting them, as some of the victims may not be able to rise again”, he added.

He appealed to Government to adopt human rights approach to lawful protest and that, Government should endeavour to look into the root cause of protests and discontents in the country, which he said may not be far from economic and political situation in the country.

The Commission also called on governments at all level to increase their capacity to protect life and property of the people.

He disclosed that the Commission was monitoring the trial of the protesters in court, adding that, in charging them with treason, government must bring up believable evidence against them.

According to Ogbona, the Commission had, in the last two months, witnessed astronomical increase in mass killings, abductions, attacks on Police stations, attacks on press freedom, violation of the rights of association and assembly, killing of law enforcement and members of the Armed Forces, cases of violence against children, minors and child abandonment.

He said, between July and August, the Commission recorded a total of 365 cases of kidnapping, 340 killings, 4,300 cases of child abandonment and killings of 37 security and law enforcement agents adding further that, a total of 142 killings were recorded in Kaduna, 137 in in Benue, Katsina recorded 112 killings and 76 killings recorded in Plateau state.