Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian government to respect human rights and uphold the right to peaceful protest as citizens across the country prepare for demonstrations addressing food shortages and the rising cost of living. The protests are set to begin on Thursday, spanning from August 1 to August 10, 2024.
In a statement released on Thursday, Isa Sanusi, the Country Director of Amnesty International, emphasized the importance of respecting the constitutional rights of Nigerians during these protests. “The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s constitution and human rights treaties,” Sanusi stated.
Sanusi further cautioned the government against using the protests as an excuse to suppress human rights. He stressed that the protests should not be an opportunity for the authorities to infringe on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. “People must be allowed to freely exercise their rights to peaceful protest,” he said.
Sanusi expressed concern over recent arrests linked to the protests. Last week, at least three individuals were detained for allegedly supporting the protests on social media, highlighting the government’s intolerance towards peaceful dissent.
Nigeria is currently grappling with severe economic challenges, including a 36 percent inflation rate on food, which has intensified public frustration. Sanusi called on the government to address the root causes of these protests rather than suppressing peaceful demonstrations. He said, “Authorities must show commitment to uphold the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.”
