The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has written to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) seeking their assistance in securing the release of over 1,000 protesters detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The protesters have been in custody for over two weeks without access to their lawyers, despite the police’s failure to arraign them on Monday and Tuesday.
In a letter to the NBA President, NHRC Executive Director, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, expressed deep concern regarding the alleged detention of peaceful protesters.
“The NHRC writes to express deep concern regarding the reported alleged detention of over 1,000 Nigerians following protests against worsening living conditions during the #Endbadgovernance protest… We find it alarming that peaceful demonstrators are being detained and their rights infringed upon”, Ojukwu said in the letter.
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The NHRC urged the NBA to take immediate action to ensure that those detained are granted their legal rights, including access to legal representation, prompt and fair trials, or immediate release where no lawful grounds exist for their continued detention.
“We seek your urgent intervention to ensure that those detained are granted their legal rights… We are confident that with the NBA’s intervention, the rights affected will be protected, and measures will be taken to prevent further violations”, he said.
The NHRC also requested the NBA to mobilize legal support to secure the release of those unlawfully detained, collaborate with relevant authorities to ensure due process, and engage in advocacy and public awareness to prevent future occurrences of unlawful arrests and detentions during peaceful protests.
The NBA is yet to react to the development.
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