The resort to arrest of peaceful protesters by men of the Nigerian police in Akure today is unnecessary dissipation of energy and uncalled for, particularly regarding the manner in which the protesters have coordinated their protest and what engagement transpired between the protesters and the police before the arrest.
A s at yesterday a letter was submitted by the leadership of Take It Back movement to the Nigeria Police in Akure, notifying the police of today’s protest and inviting the police for protection. In an orderly manner this morning the protesters with placards in their hands have commenced their peaceful procession in the city, around NEPA roundabout and this arrest took place after the protesters have been engaged by the leadership of the police team who came and demanded the protesters proceed to a designated approved venue which was said to be ARCHADE, unknown to the protesters who were promptly complying by filing out to the said approved venue, it was a mere design to trap them to isolation and arrest them. As the protesters were heading there peacefully, they were ambushed by the arresting team of the Nigerian Police who were acting on orders from above and arrested the governorship candidate of AAC, Kunle Ajayi Wizeman and Patrick Owolabi, Oluwatobi Akinkuotu, Kolawole Kumuyi, Olalekan Oladehinde and others.
This style of engaging citizens with deceits in civic engagement will not only lead to further loss of total trust and confidence in the police, it is very disgraceful and smacks of playing to gallery to win empty accolade from the government!
Right to protest peacefully is still a right in the constitution and the Police and the government do not have the powers to take what the constitution has given to the citizens. There is no food in this country and the citizens are hungry. There is no job. There is no good road. There is no good health insurance or assurance. There is no security. The only thing Nigerian citizens can truly claim to have today is their right to their voice, right of expression and right to protest and once the government react to the exercise of these rights with crackdowns, then this is an invitation to lawlessness, which will ultimately and inevitably reign when the citizens are pushed farther to the wall.
The arrest that took place is highly condemnable and stands condemned. If the government has any evidence of violence from the protesters it should come out with it.
I am not unaware of the cowardly positions from some persons who sing the tunes of the government, postulating that protest is constitutional though but that we do not need it now for fear of it being degenerated. That is so cowardly and embarrassing. Only vibrant and courageous youths move a nation forward. What we need is not the negative rationalization of permanently carpeting the citizens with the blackmail of degeneration of protest and make anti-democratic thesis and statements to recreate the youths into a docile bunch, who will suffer without a voice, but a competent and civilized police force that know how to carry out their statutory duties of protection and civic engagement whenever the citizens carry out their civic expressions.
Ondo State will not and never recede to the disgraceful corner of docile history where the youths will only attend the universities and acquire education and training that will only qualify them for the positions of political aids who will only fight the truth in defence of mouth and turn to youth wing and mouthpiece of any politician in power. There must be room for those who still hold their conscience dear, the brainy vibrant youths and intellectuals of the great state, who wont just be trained to seek appointment and food to defend those in government but will continue to raise the proud banner of democratic principle of calling on their government to account from time to time.
I call on Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa, as the Chief Security Officer of the State, to whom the Commissioner of Police within the state is constitutionally responsible on matters of security within the state, to order the release of those arrested in the course of this protest unconditionally, as they constitute no security threat to the state like the hunger and pressure unleashed on the people nationwide by the APC government, while the process of asking for good governance continues! Protest is not and will never be a crime, no matter what!
SGD
Tope Temokun
Lawyer and Human Rights activist.
August 10, 2024!