APC Government and Protest against Insecurity -By Yemi Adebowale

The federal government has alerted the nation to a protest, still at the planning stage, which may see about 2,000 persons matching on Abuja, to call for the removal of the service chiefs. The protest, according to the Presidency, was supposed to take place last Monday. Well, it did not take place as forewarned. We were told the protest “is aimed at embarrassing President Buhari, misleading the public and inciting protests against the heads of military institutions.”

This alert is absolutely unnecessary and silly. When has it become an offence to stage a protest in Nigeria? Demonstration is legitimate, constitutional and a key part of any democracy. Is this government unaware that our law court has affirmed the right to assemble and protest peacefully in the case of All Nigerian People’s Party Vs Inspector-General of Police in 2008? Nigerians have the right to protest against anything. It is a fundamental right. The only condition is that it should be peaceful.

Buhari and his cohorts benefited unhindered, from this fundamental right, while still in opposition. Not once, not twice but many times. I can clearly remember how Buhari and other frontrunners of the All Progressives Congress, like Rotimi Amaechi, John Oyegun, protested against insecurity in November 2014, without interruption by the Jonathan government. Now, it amounts to “incitement” for traumatised Nigerians to protest against crippling insecurity in the country. This statement against the planned protests is an indication that Buhari and his people are freaking, no thanks to the ineptitude of the government. If the protest eventually takes place, I expect the police to steer clear of the protesters. As lawyer and human rights activists, Femi Falana, stated early this week, “The authorities of the Nigeria Police Force are urged not to harass aggrieved Nigerians for protesting against perceived injustice in the country. Since Nigerians have the fundamental right to demonstrate for or against the federal government without official fiat, the Presidency has no power to stop any peaceful protest in the country.”