“Protesting is never a disturbance of the peace; Corruption, injustice, war and intimidation are disturbances of the peace.”― Bryant McGill, S
Women in Politics Forum Condemns the use of Live bullet against unarmed youths protesting against the excessive abuse by SARS. It is therefore with absolute dismay and consternation that we join other well-meaning individuals and Organizations, to condemn the act of the Nigerian Army and the powers that sanctioned the killing of unarmed Nigerian youths on a peaceful protest, at the Lekki Toll Gate, on the 20th of October, 2020.
It is also worth noting that subsequent killings of unarmed citizens have been reported in the days following. These actions of the Security Agencies are in total breach of all International and National laws ensuring and protecting citizen’s right to Assemble and to Protest.
Firstly, let it be known that people have the right to demonstrate peacefully and Government should respect this right and let them do so. Secondly as you well know, Nigeria is a state party to the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 21 of that instrument provides for the right of peaceful assembly and excludes any restrictions on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
At regional level, Nigeria is a state party to the 1981 African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Nigeria is also state party to the 1998 Protocol on the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
On the domestic front, Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) stipulates that every person is entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons.
It is therefore a thing most unimaginable but sadly true, that the Nigerian Army which is sworn to protect the citizenry became the arm used to commit such atrocity as was seen by the unjust killing of unarmed youths on a peaceful Protest at the toll gate. This act is not only a flagrant disdain of all international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is party to, it is also unpatriotic and sacrilegious as these peaceful Protesters, Nigerian Youths, were seen raising the Nigerian flag and singing the Nigerian National Anthem – both symbols of our sovereignty, unity and freedom as a people- even as they were bullet-riddled and killed in their Father land.
The Nigerian Army negated all basic principles on the use of force and firearms by Law Enforcement Officials in the dispersal of non-violent assemblies by using unreasonable force on unarmed peaceful protesters.
WIPF uses this medium to urge the President and Commander in Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate this desecration of our unity and freedom/violation of human rights and bring all perpetrators to book, else the events of Tuesday the 20th of October 2020 may mark the day Nigeria lost its soul to anarchy.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace and may their death not be in vain.
Signed:
Ebere Ifendu
President WIPF