The human rights community yesterday condemned the invasion of the national headquarters of the Ikeja Lagos office of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) by the police describing it as a dangerous dimension.
CDHR, in a statement by its National President, Comrade Debo Adeniran, and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Idris Olayinka, said the Police laid siege to its office House in the early hours of Friday and prevented occupants of the building from gaining entrance. The statement further noted that the Police presence was to stop the Education Rights Campaign Symposium scheduled to hold at the main hall of the CDHR office.
In its reaction, Amnesty International, in a statement by its Director in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi said it was deeply concerned by the unlawful invasion of CDHR’s office which came days after the headquarters of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was ransacked and describing it as “a dangerous dimension to the escalating attacks on human rights”.
READ ALSO:Winners of Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition emerge
READ ALSO:We still can’t secure our full crude requirement from NNPC-Dangote insists
READ ALSO:Africa to declare public health emergency over Mpox
According to Amnesty International, “Apart from forcing businesses around the area to abruptly close, the siege is also preventing CDHR from doing its vital work of promoting freedom. Such attacks on human rights defenders and their offices sends a message that authorities condone these violations. Commanders of security Lagos security agencies involved in this siege must be held to account for abusing their power. The Nigerian authorities must investigate this incident and give clear directive to the security personnel to immediately vacate the office.
“The violent crackdown on protesters against hunger nationwide since 1 August 2024 trailed by these attacks on civil society organizations are a worrying indication of President Bola Tinubu administration’s utter disregard for human rights and determination to crush dissent. This glaring show of impunity must end.
“The Nigerian authorities must end these attacks on human rights and respect the right to freedom of expression and association. Intimidation of dissenting voices is setback for freedom and justice. Nigeria has an obligation to protect human rights and ensure that civil society organizations can do their work without fear.”
In its own reaction, another human rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, said the invasion of CDHR’s office by the police was a further indication of the gradual but steady descent to despotism in Nigeria under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
RULAAC, in a statement in Abuja by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma said, the “siege by security forces on a peaceful assembly of Nigerian citizens is a cause for serious concern”. According to the statement, “The right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right that is recognized and protected by international and regional human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a party. When citizens exercise their right to peaceful assembly, it is the duty of the government to protect and facilitate the exercise of this right, not to suppress or restrict it. However, security agencies clamping down on peaceful protesters violate this fundamental human right.