Publication

In August, we witnessed a nationwide protest against bad governance in Nigeria. The #EndBadGovernance# protest was a response to the deteriorating state of the country's economy.

Thousands of well-meaning Nigerians came out in solidarity to demand accountability, transparency, and better economic policy that will strengthen the country's economy. What seemed to commence as a peaceful protest by citizens originally became a death trap that claimed the lives of innocent civilians.

According to Channels, Amnesty International stated that not fewer than six people were killed in Suleja, Niger State, with dozens severely wounded. Four people were killed in Maiduguri, and three were killed in Kaduna.
It’s embarrassing that Nigeria, a democratic State that ought to be governed by the Rule of Law, is debating the right of citizens to embark on a peaceful protest. What is worrisome is the total disregard for human life by the Nigerian government while trying to suppress the protest without efforts to address the concerns of the citizens.

Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. This section, by implication, vests in the citizens the right to peaceful protest. This is a fundamental human right in any democratic State that should be respected. It is, therefore, legally wrong for authorities to deploy security forces, including the police and military, to quell a protest that is carried out by unarmed citizens as if Nigeria is at war.

In a heart-wrenching display of violence and total disregard for human lives, the government, through her armed forces, brutally suppressed the 2024 #EndBadGovernance# protest, leaving cadavers for scavengers on the streets.
The actions of the security forces during the protest are questionable as they constitute a gross violation of human rights to life, freedom of assembly, and freedom of expression.

While we acknowledge that it is easy for hoodlums to hijack a protest and cause chaos, it is pertinent that authorities respect human rights while trying to maintain law and order in society. We call on the government to ensure that those violating human rights are not left unpunished.