DSS Operative
CSOs Jointly
DSS Operative
CSOs Jointly Condemn Sowere’s Arrest by DSS over Revolution Now
RallyCSOs Jointly Condemn Sowere’s Arrest by DSS over Revolution
Now Rally
The undersigned human rights and civil society organizations in
Nigeria are deeply concerned about Nigeria’s steady drift to an
authoritarian state under President Buhari.
We are worried that with its persistent and increasingly
intolerant posture and undemocratic actions, Buhari’s government
turns Nigeria into an authoritarian state
Buhari who came into office through democratic elections in 2015
had stated during campaigns that although he was once a military
ruler, he had transformed to a democrat, described himself as ‘a
converted democrat’ and promised to subject himself and his conduct
in government, if elected, under democratic norms and
practices.
However, the style and approach of President Buhari’s government
since 2015 and especially after his highly contested re-election in
the 2019; his government’s increasing intolerance for criticism and
opposition; and his blatant disregard for the rule of law- all
clearly paint a picture of a man still retaining his military
mind-set and ruthless predilection.
The arrest of Omoyele Sowore in the wee hours of Saturday,
August 3, 2019 is unjustifiable. Sowore has not committed any known
offence except that he advocates for good governance. His arrest,
coming just few hours after a rented crowd of pro-government
protesters besieged the Abuja offices of the Amnesty International-
for the second time under this government, in an attempt to
intimidate the human rights advocacy organisation for its critical
and factual reports exposing human rights atrocities and demanding
accountability, it is yet another indication that under President
Buhari, democracy is in retreat in Nigeria and the country is
increasingly drifting towards full blown authoritarianism.
Under Buhari, human rights and basic freedoms have been
recklessly and unabashedly curtailed on a scale only comparable to
and reminiscent of the dark days of military dictatorship during
which Buhari’s despicable role stands out.
Under Buhari’s government, freedoms of assembly and expression
have been brutally repressed and suppressed, only compounding the
already precarious state of insecurity in Nigeria which has turned
life in Nigeria ‘nasty, short and brutish’. The blood of helpless
and defenceless Nigerians is daily spilled by ruthless armed
bandits and repressive state security agents. Yet, the same
government has proved woefully incompetent and incapable of
providing leadership in the face of steadily degenerating state of
security and dilapidated economy.
The rights of Nigerians to peaceful protest are fundamental and
guaranteed by the Constitution and other regional and international
human rights legislation and treaties which Nigeria subscribes
to.
To Protest is not a Crime
In 2003, General Mohammadu Buhari led other ANPP party members in a
protest rally over the rigged 2003 election. The police disrupted
the rally. Buhari and ANPP challenged the disruption of the rally
in court and the court declared the action of the police illegal
and unconstitutional. This was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
Again on November 20, 2014, General Buhari, as presidential
candidate of APC, and his party men also staged a protest in Abuja
against increasing insecurity and killings in the country under
President Jonathan. Today, the situation is more tragic that it was
when Buhari led that protest.
Freedom of expression as ventilated through a peaceful protest
is a constitutional right. We can’t continue to behave like we are
in the Stone Age.
Buhari government has already done so much damage to the
international image of Nigeria. The arrest of Sowore will do
further damage to that battered image.
It is a shame that the same government whose agents hire
protesters to picket the offices of Amnesty international for being
anti-government will unleash security agents against critics and
genuine peaceful protesters. The rented protesters were at Amnesty
International’s offices again today and would be going there for
the next five days having been paid to occupy the office every day
for seven days.
We call for the immediate release of Sowore and an end to the
repression of basic freedoms guaranteed Nigerians by the
Constitution.
Signed:
1. Okechukwu Nwanguma, for Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy
Centre (RULAAC)
2. Augusta Yaakugh, for Rule of Law Development Foundation
3. Mojirayo Ogunlana-Nkanga, for Centre for Impact Advocacy
4. Ariyo-Dare Atoye, for Coalition in Defence of Nigerian
Democracy and Constitution
5. Comrade Deji Adeyanju, for Concerned Nigerian Groups
6. Comrade Gbenga Soloki, for Centre Against Injustice and
Domestic Violence
7. Uzoma Aneto, for Nde Oduko Foundation
8. Amb. Obuesi Phillips, for Community Agenda for Peace (Centre
for Public Peace and Conflict Prevention)
9. Gloria Nweze, for Centre for Human Rights, Social Justice and
Anti-Torture Initiative
10. Comrade Adewale Ojo, for Committee for the Defence of Human
Rights
11. Adebayo Raphael, for Free Nigeria Movement
12. Deji Ajare for Sterling Centre for Law and Development
13. Dr. Walter Duru, for Media Imitative Against Injustice,
Violence and Corruption
14. Adamu Abdullazeez Bako, for Centre for Citizens’ Right
………………………………………………………
HURIWA CONDEMNS CLAMPDOWN AND ARREST OF SOWORE; DEMANDS HIS
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The foremost civil Rights advocacy group- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS
ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA ( HURIWA) has condemned as unconstitutional
and illegal the ARREST of the opposition politician and the
publisher of the famous online platform- Saharareporters.com Mr.
Omoyele SOWORE by the Department of State Services (DSS) just as
the Rights group has called for his immediate freedom.
The Rights group said the ARREST of SOWORE is a culmination of
the systematic CLAMPDOWN and organised brutish attacks targeting
persons and groups with divergent opinion from the status quo just
as HURIWA restated her alarm that the current administration has
embarked on the SHRINKING and deliberate stiffling of the CIVIC
SPACES. HURIWA accused the DSS of illegally bugging telephones of
prominent civil rights leaders including leaders of HURIWA. .
The group which submitted that the fundamentals of the practice
of constitutional democracy are animated by the protection and
promotion of the basic constitutional freedoms of speech and the
opening of the civic spaces, has raised alarm that since coming to
office, President Muhammadu Buhari has adopted anti-democratic
postures that constitute grave threats to constitutional
democracy.
According to HURIWA : “it is an undeniable fact that civic space
is the bedrock and the fundamental of any open and democratic
government which is guaranteed under the chapter four of the
Nigerian constitution of 1999 (as amended); all other global human
rights conventions and laws do also support the fundamental
freedoms as espoused in chapter 4 of the constitution. May we
remind president Buhari that his attacks against those fundamental
freedoms constitute grave threats to democracy because when civic
space is open, citizenry and civic society platforms are then able
to organize, participate and communicate without hindrance or
impediments that the open threats to lives and freedoms of the
practitioners have now become. This can only be the case if
government is compelled to discharge her obligations to the
citizenry. The freedoms of association; peaceful assembly and
expression are no doubt the strategic elements of an open civic
space. These critical elements are systematically put under attacks
by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and un
fortunately the free World is watching as constitutional democracy
is about to collapse in Nigeria”.
HURIWA stated that the report that the presidential candidate
African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore was arrested by
Operatives of the Department of State Services to thwart the
holding of nationwide protests against misgovernance and
unprecedented insecurity shows that the current administration
lacks the frame of mind to tolerate dissenting voices. “Does anyone
in this government benefit from these killings by all kinds of
armed freelance killers and bandits so much so that the government
is afraid of street protests to condemn these killings?”
HURIWA described the arrest of Omoyele Sowore Soworethe leading
human rights activist in Lagos, pro-democracy campaigner, founder
of online news agency Sahara Reporters who was arrested Saturday
morning at his home as clandestine and primitive has also demanded
his immediate release and public apology by President Muhammadu
Buhari.
According to the Rights group: “Why invade the residence of a
citizen in the wee hours of the morning like thieves or kidnappers
to whisk away a citizen? This is reminiscent of the dictatorial
style if the diabolical military dictatorship of General Sani
Abacha which is totally not in consonance with the principle and
practice of constitutional democracy”.
HURIWA emphatically accused the DSs of seeking to destroy free
speech because the act was made to frustrate the plan to stage
series of planned civil protests just as the Rights group said this
may be as a result of his (OMOWOLE SOWORE’S) plans to mobilise
people in Lagos and many parts of the country for a revolution
protest tagged ‘ Days of Rage’ to demand a better Nigeria.
HURIWA observed too that since Sowore tweeted: ” DSS invades
Sowore’s” and was subsequently not allowed to speak to his lawyer
shows that the DSS is yet to come to terms with the fact that
Nigeria has for 20 years practiced constitutional democracy with
inbuilt provisions in chapter 4 for the protection of the
fundamental freedoms of the citizenry including the right to a
legal representation and a right to the dignity of his personhood
as recognised by international and local human rights laws.
By PRNigeria