By Ishaya Ibrahim
A non-governmental organisation, Spaces for Change, has said that it was deeply concerned about the rising number of attacks on free speech and suppression of civic freedoms in the country.
In a statement by Victoria Ohaeri, its founder and executive director, it said the constitutional freedoms of expression, thought, conscience and assembly guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was being undermined by government security agencies.
“In 2019 in particular, no week passes without news of arrests, intimidation, attacks, incarcerations and persecution of citizens in connection with their civic engagements, including offline and online expressions. Some of these incidents are well documented on a database; www.closingspaces.org.
“Between May 2015 to date, over 150 incidents documented on the database refer to governmental powers exercised in ways that smack of repression and targeted violation of the rights of citizens, especially journalists, activists, civil rights groups, student unionists, religious movements and opposition voices.
“The Department of State Services’ (DSS’) gestapo-style arrest and detention of Mr Omoyele Sowore, leader of the African Action Congress (AAC) and Publisher of Sahara Reporters, on Saturday, August 3, 2019, adds to the list of government-ordered crackdowns on free expression.
“Arresting Mr Sowore for planning a nationwide protest is just one out of many heavy-handed attempts by the government to intimidate and silence Nigerians from exercising their democratic rights of expression and assembly. Particularly objectionable is the use of excessive force in responding to public protests, the statement said.
Ohaeri said it was depressing seeing protesters either hit by stray bullets or arrested in droves during street marches.
“On July 24, 2019, Shiites demonstrators marching to demand the release of their leader El Zakzaky were brutally shot at, tear-gassed and mortally wounded. Likewise, dozens of civilians and journalists who turned out for the ‘RevolutionNow’ protest on August 5, 2019, to demand accountability from the government, were forcefully dispersed, brutalized hounded and detained.
“We reiterate that the freedom of public expression lies at the very core of representative democracy. The beauty of any democracy is reflected in government’s tolerance of pluralism and diversity. Stifling the freedoms of citizens is not only unjust but also akin to aborting the progress of Nigeria’s hard earned democracy, which is a quick recipe for anarchy.
“SPACES FOR CHANGE, therefore, calls on the Nigerian authorities to fully respect the rights of citizens and groups to speak out and organize freely. We join other concerned Nigerians to demand the unconditional and immediate release of all citizens arrested and detained in connection with organizing or participating in any public assembly. We also specifically demand for the release of Mr. Omoyele Sowore,” the report said.
