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Amnesty International Nigeria has criticised the actions of information operatives who disrupted peaceful demonstrations successful Abuja calling for the merchandise of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained person of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The quality rights radical raised alarm implicit reports that constabulary and different information agencies utilized teardrop state to disperse protesters, describing the determination arsenic a usurpation of citizens’ law rights to peaceful assembly.
Earlier reports indicated that information unit fired aggregate teardrop state canisters astir the Maitama territory connected Monday to scatter demonstrators, who aboriginal regrouped astatine Utako earlier being dispersed again by equipped officers, causing panic among residents, traders and motorists.
Reacting successful a connection shared via its authoritative X handle, Amnesty International condemned the information agencies’ conduct, informing that immoderate effort to suppress peaceful protestation is unlawful and represents an intolerant stance against escaped expression.
It stated, “Amnesty International receives disturbing reports of attempts to crackdown connected peaceful protests holding successful Abuja, calling for the merchandise of Nnamdi Kanu. People indispensable beryllium allowed to freely workout their close to peaceful protest.
“Any enactment susceptible of undermining state of assembly is amerciable and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
The organisation called connected Nigerian authorities to instantly halt the crackdown and prosecute the protesters’ demands, reminding them of their obligations nether some home and planetary quality rights laws.
“The Nigerian authorities indispensable guarantee that information agencies respect and facilitate the close to peaceful protest, arsenic guaranteed by some the country’s ain constitution and quality rights treaties, including the African Charter connected Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant connected Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is simply a authorities party,” the radical added.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force defended its response, maintaining that officers acted wrong the bounds of the instrumentality and successful compliance with a tribunal bid restricting protests adjacent delicate authorities locations.
In a station connected his X grip connected Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police’s enactment was indispensable to support bid and forestall obstruction of large routes.
He wrote, “Police teargas protesters attempting to attack Aso Villa successful wide contravention of a tribunal bid restricting protesters from the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way.
“We are the country’s foremost instrumentality enforcement agency. We carried retired our mandate.
“And we did NOT artifact the roadworthy but cleared it aft it was blocked by the protesters. This is to alteration different Nigerians casual transition to their respective destinations.”
Kanu has been successful the custody of the Department of State Services since June 2021 facing terrorism-related charges.
The station Amnesty Int’l slams constabulary implicit clampdown connected pro-Nnamdi Kanu protesters appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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