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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva and the UN Secretary-General in New York to intervene and pressure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to refrain from deploying armed security forces against peaceful demonstrators scheduled to protest on October 1, 2024.
Naija News reports that the protest is aimed at denouncing the rising cost of living and poor governance in Nigeria.
HURIWA’s call for international intervention stems from growing concerns that the Nigerian government, under President Tinubu, is preparing to dispatch heavily armed security personnel to suppress peaceful protests, similar to the events of August 2024, when some demonstrators were allegedly killed during the #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
The group emphasized that those involved in the unlawful killing of peaceful protesters would be identified and held accountable at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for crimes against humanity.
HURIWA, in a statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator, stated: “We are warning the military and police service chiefs, including the head of the nation’s secret police, that they may be held accountable at the ICC in The Hague for the unlawful killings of peaceful protesters in Nigeria, no matter how long it takes to achieve this objective by the organized civil rights community in Nigeria.”
HURIWA expressed shock at the silence of the international community, including the UN and global leaders like U.S. President Joe Biden and the Prime Ministers of the UK and Canada, in the face of the extrajudicial killings of peaceful protesters in Nigeria.
The group accused these leaders of “conspiratorial silence” and noted that the ongoing suppression of civic freedoms by armed security forces endangers Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
The group reminded the UNHRC of its mandate to protect human rights defenders and ensure that member nations, such as Nigeria, which has signed various human rights treaties, respect and uphold constitutionally guaranteed fundamental freedoms.
HURIWA cited the UNHRC’s official mandate, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, which are essential components of democracy.”
HURIWA urged the UN to provide technical advice and monitoring on how the right to peaceful assembly is protected in practice and to support peaceful protest management, including advising on the use of force and promoting dialogue to address the grievances underlying these demonstrations.
The rights group also expressed disappointment with both the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Human Rights Council for their failure to condemn the alleged unlawful killings of protesters by a democratically elected government in Nigeria.
HURIWA firmly rejected the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and criticized the government’s misuse of state High Courts to suppress constitutional freedoms through legal subterfuge and ex-parte orders.
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