Nigerians have the right to protest, Amnesty International tells FG

Amnesty International has cautioned President Bola Tinubu’s administration against threatening Nigerians planning to protest against the current hardship and hunger in the country.

The global human rights body warned that threatening intended peaceful protesters is unlawful, adding that Nigerians have the constitutional right to protest.

According to reports, some youths are planning a nationwide protest between August 1 and 15 against the rising cost of living and economic hardship in the country.

Following the reports, President Tinubu’s media aide, Dada Olusegun, warned that the intending protesters would meet the strongest resistance of their lives if they opt to protest against the Nigerian government.

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In a post via X, Olusegun warned that those who gave Tinubu the mandate to rule the country would strongly resist the protest.

“Those who want to burn the country down under whatever guise will meet the strongest resistance of their lives. Not from security agencies, but from the silent majority that gave their mandate to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for four years in the first instance. We are waiting,” he tweeted.

Weighing in, the global human rights body said that threatening peaceful protesters was not only unlawful but a clear attack on freedom of assembly as guaranteed by international law and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 “Threatening peaceful protesters is unlawful. It is a clear attack on freedom of assembly — which is guaranteed by international law and Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution:

“Nigerians must not be denied the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed right to peaceful protest; through veiled threats of violence and false insinuations,” Amnesty International said.