……. calls for release of detained protesters
By Lucky Isibor
Leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have sent an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, enumerating steps he should take to ameliorate the present sufferings of Nigerians accessioned by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products and the floating of the Naira in the foreign exchange market.
The leaders of CSOs call for the immediate end to importation of refined petroleum products, establishment of non-partisan framework for civic engagement and policy dialogue, halting irresponsible borrowing practices, ensuring equitable and reliable power supply and the implementation of comprehensive social protection policies and programmes to cater for poor Nigerians.
In the letter signed by the Executive Directors of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, Founder WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiode, CenterLSD; Monday Osasah, CISLAC; Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC); Rev Fr. John Patrick Ngoyi, Policy Alert; Tijan Bolton Akpan, SERDC; Tijani Abdulkareem, as well as the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Mamedu, and Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice, Eze Onyekpere (Esq), the CSOs leaders who condemned the action of criminals who have been duly tried and found guilty for looting and destruction of private and public properties and sabotaging recent organized nationwide protests, called for immediate and unconditional release of over 1000 peaceful protesters still being allegedly detained by security agencies across the country.
They noted that 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) and reminded President Tinubu of his past involvement in protests under previous administrations, which underscores the importance of respecting citizens’ rights to express their grievances.
According to the letter of the leaders of the CSOs titled “Demanding the right to peaceful protest and assembly in Nigeria” said: “Your Excellency, Nigeria is at a critical juncture. Since your assumption of office, several of your policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the Naira, have led to significant economic hardship for the average Nigerian. Prices of essential commodities have surged, and the exchange rate has deteriorated, exacerbating the challenges faced by millions of citizens. Coupled with the ongoing insecurity in many parts of the country, the situation has become increasingly untenable for the people”.
The CSOs also condemned the alleged continuous incarceration of over 1000 persons arrested by security agencies during the “End Bad Governance” protest and urged President Tinubu to initiate the process to unconditionally release all individuals detained for participating in peaceful protests, pointing out that the citizens should not be criminalized for exercising their democratic rights and opined that law enforcement agencies should respect human rights norms as they enforce the use of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.They also called on the President to “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.
“Ending the importation of refined petroleum products by fully operationalizing existing government and private refineries. This will not only reduce the cost of fuel but also stabilize the prices of other essential goods.
“Ensuring utmost transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector, particularly with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). We urge that NNPCL’s dealings be open to public monitoring, with regular publication of updated and detailed information on financial transactions and contracts. This is especially vital following the subsidy removal, which has impacted all Nigerians.
“Halting irresponsible borrowing practices and providing transparency and accountability for the use of borrowed funds.
“Implementing comprehensive social protection policies and programmes to address the high rate of poverty in the country.
“Ensuring equitable and reliable power supply across all regions, eliminating the current discriminatory power distribution system”.
While noting that Nigeria presently stands at crossroads, the CSOs leaders stressed that the actions President Tinubu’s administration takes in the coming days will significantly influence the direction Nigeria will take and expressed optimism that with decisive and compassionate leadership, President Tinubu can restore public confidence and steer Nigeria toward a path of prosperity and justice for all its citizens.