Human rights lawyer, Mr. Inibehe Effiong, who represents some of the detained #EndBadGovernance protesters, has insisted that the October 1 protest against the current hardship in Nigeria must proceed despite ongoing detentions of recent protesters.
In an interview with Vanguard, Effiong criticized the administration of Bola Tinubu for what he described as the criminalization of protests and urged Nigerians not to be intimidated by state-sponsored actions.
Effiong emphasized that protesting is a constitutional right and should not be curtailed by the government.
He argued that Nigerians have every reason to express their grievances, given the country’s poor state, and should not be deterred by the deployment of security agents to arrest peaceful protesters.
“Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest. And that right shouldn’t be given to government. We cannot live in a country that pretends to be in a democracy, at the same time, we are disallowing freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. It is no longer that the Tinubu regime is not happy. What is important is that the country is in a terrible shape, Nigerians are aggrieved and have the right to protest. In fact, Nigerians have the right to protest everyday. If people choose to embark on indefinite protest until the issues in the country are addressed, it is within their constitutional rights.
“The constitution did not limit the duration of protest or even the reason for protest as long as it is lawful and legitimate. To that extent, I am in support of Nigerians who want to protest. And deploying security agents to arrest citizens who are protesting is simply wrong and condemnable. We will continue to stand up for anyone whose right is violated on account of peaceful protest.
“Our determination is unflinching. The same way government is determined to interfere with the right of the citizens to protest, the same way we are determined to defend that right. We are not going to negotiate that right with government. The arrests are baseless. The attempt to trivialise treason and make a mockery of our criminal justice system is a reminder that those in power lack democratic credenti
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“We in the civil society must be unrelenting in our determination to ensure that we uphold the principles of equity. We will continue to provide support for anyone wrongly arrested on account of joining a peaceful protest,” Effiong said.
He condemned the arrest of citizens involved in peaceful protests, stating that the charges are baseless and a distraction from the real issues affecting the country. He reiterated that the civil society would remain steadfast in defending the right to protest and would provide support to anyone wrongfully detained.
Regarding the atmosphere of fear surrounding the October 1 protest, Effiong urged Nigerians not to be scared of exercising their rights, asserting that the country belongs to all citizens, not just the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He encouraged people to overcome their fears and stand firm in their pursuit of justice.
Effiong, who has been representing detained protesters in court, revealed that legal actions are ongoing to secure their release. Some have already been granted bail, and further actions are being taken against their detention. He also confirmed that his team is engaging with “law enforcement agencies, having notified the Inspector General of Police about the upcoming October 1 protest.”
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