Hunger protests: CSOs express pain over continuous detention of protesters, demand unconditional release

As Nigerians expect government’s intervention to ameliorate the biting hardship, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, today, expressed displeasure over the continued detention of #EndBadGovernance protesters and demanded conditional release of them.

The demand was contained in an open letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, which was dated August 29, 2024, with the subject ‘Demanding the Right to Peaceful Protest and Assembly in Nigeria’, and signed by David Ugolor, Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) on behalf of the CSOs representatives.; Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria; Auwal Ibrahim Musa, (Rafsanjani) Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Samson Itodo, Executive Director, YIAGA Africa; Abiola Akioyede, Founding Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC).

Others are, Rev. FATHER John Patrick Ngoyi, Director, Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC); Tijani Bolton, Executive Director, Policy Alert; Monday Osasah, Executive Director, Africa Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre-LSD); Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ); and Tijani Abdulkareem, Executive Director, Socio Economic Research and Development Centre (SERDEC).

According to the CSOs, Nigeria is at a critical juncture, pointing out that the policies of the government including the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira, have led to significant economic hardship for the average Nigerian.

Also they lamented that the prices of essential commodities have surged, and the exchange rate has deteriorated, exacerbating the challenges faced by millions of citizens including a worrisome dimension of insecurity in many parts of the country.

The letter reads in part, “In response to these hardships, from August 1 to 10, 2024, Nigerians took to the streets to express their frustration and demand better governance. The peaceful protests were a call to action for your administration to address the suffering of the people and to take decisive steps to improve governance and economic conditions.

“Although we do not condone the actions of criminals who have been duly tried and found guilty of looting citizens’ and government properties, and sabotaging the protest, we are deeply troubled by the government’s response to these peaceful demonstrations.

“Reports indicate that several individuals have been detained nationwide, with some facing legal action for exercising their constitutional right to protest.

“Moreover, the excessive use of force by security agencies, resulting in the tragic deaths of several protesters, is alarming and unacceptable.

“Even more concerning is the government’s characterization of the protests as an attempt at “regime change” or a “coup,” which has further escalated tensions. While we acknowledge the recent steps taken by your administration, such as the signing of the amended National Minimum Wage Act and the distribution of food aid, we believe these measures, though well-intentioned, were not sufficient to address the root causes of the unrest.

“Your Excellency, the right to peaceful protest and assembly is a fundamental democratic principle enshrined in international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended). We remind you of your past involvement in protests under previous administrations, which underscores the importance of respecting citizens’ rights to express their grievances.

“In light of this, we strongly urge you to: Initiate the process to unconditionally release all individuals detained for participating in peaceful protests. These citizens should not be criminalized for exercising their democratic rights and law enforcement agencies should respect human rights norms as they enforce the use of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.

“Establish a credible and non-partisan framework for civic engagement and policy dialogue at the Presidency to address the root causes of the protests by implementing short, medium, and long-term strategies to alleviate the economic hardships faced by Nigerians.”

They also demanded end to imported refined petroleum products, ensuring transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector, halting borrowing with lack of transparency and accountability of utilization of funds, implementing comprehensive social protection policies and programmes to address poverty, and ensuring equitable and reliable power supply across all regions.

In conclusion, the letter reads, “Your Excellency, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. The actions your administration takes in the coming days will significantly influence the direction our country will take. We believe that with decisive and compassionate leadership, you can restore public confidence and steer Nigeria toward a path of prosperity and justice for all its citizens.”