STATEMENT BY LABOUR AND CIVIL SOCIETY FRONT, LCSFront ON REPRESSION OF CIVIL AND DEMOCRATIC VOICES AND CRIPPLING ECONOMIC POLICIES IN NIGERIA
The Labour & Civil Society Front, LCSFront (a Coalition of the organised Civil Society platforms, historical human rights organizations, faith-based organizations, women-led associations, indigenous bodies, youths movements and Labour Unions in Nigeria) condemns in the strongest term the rising repression of democratic and civil voices across Nigeria.
The Front wishes to draw the attention of government and the Nigeria Police to the duty to protect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens and the character of Nigeria’s democracy which is founded on liberal democratic values.
Against this background, the LCSFront views the willful actions of the Nigeria Police against peaceful protesters as an affront and selective and coming on the heels of the mass demonstrations popularly known as #endbadgovernance. So much so that this clandestine activities of the Police have been used to tag protesters as dissidents and treasonable felons with the intent on overthrowing a DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.
The very nature of a democratic government is to protect the rights of citizens to dissent and so, any action seeking to undermine that right is repressive and arbitrary. We strongly believe that citizens protests against economic policies that are causing massive hunger and hardship in the country is lawful. Therefore, converting dissent into “treason” and/or “a plot to overthrow the government” is by itself “treason” against the country’s 25 years old constitutional democracy. The action of the Police runs against all known essentials of a constitutional democracy which mandates the government to uphold and protect individual rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
The LCSFront is a product of a decade of human right struggles of the 1990s against military authoritarianism. The resultant clamour by pro-democracy groups resulted in the 1999 Constitution which prescribed an inclusive and participatory democracy for Nigeria. The LSCFront is therefore shocked that in Nigeria’s eight uninterrupted presidential transitions, it is under President Bola Tinubu, a pro-democracy activist, that the State is now displaying all the ugly characteristics of military totalitarianism, a feature of the past.
President Tinubu with his experience in public positions is fully aware of the fundamental pillars of our democracy; as the protection of rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, and the several international human rights standards binding on Nigeria. Consequently, the LSCFront is urging the Government of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigeria Police to take urgent and immediate steps to deal with the following:
1. Within 7 days, address all cases arising from the #endbadgovernance nationwide protests, and ensure that no one is unduly criminalised and/or punished.
2. Without delay, announce a framework for addressing the lingering allegations against the NLC President and employees of the Ivy Bookshop located in the NLC complex. Such a framework must ensure that grievances are contained and all parties work towards the resolution of the simmering crisis.
3. Openly and transparently address all cases arising from the #endbadgovernance protest as a means of restoring trust between the law enforcement authorities, government and citizens who are presently battling serious economic and security challenges. This is the much needed approach towards the maintenance of social harmony, while upholding the rule of law in the face of growing national discontent.
4. Explore in the shortest possible time, other mechanisms and accessible techniques of engagement with the youth in particular and develop better channels of communication between the citizens, youth, police and government . To this end, Government should without delay dialogue with known protest voices and civil society leaders of to avert another nationwide mass protest slated for October.
5. LCSFront believes that government should as a matter of responsiblity and urgency seek ways to stem the worsening conditions of life for most Nigerians and review some recent policy dimensions that are crippling citizens’ livelihoods and pauperising Nigerians such as the present irresponsible fuel scarcity in country even at exorbitant price, the callous hike in the price of petrol today by the NNPCL, which was clearly against government recent agreement with Labour over the minimum wage as well as the popular demand of citizens that fuel price should be brought down to ₦167 of pre January 2023 to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians.
6. Lastly, as a clear sign of rapprochement and leadership, government should release Civil Protesters currently being detained by security agencies under very combative and vindictive charges such as a. Conspiracy to commit treason. b. Inciting mutiny c. Levying war against the state d. Carrying placards saying #endbadgovernance and e. causing damage in Kano, Abuja and Nyanya.
Signed:
Amb Nkoyo Toyo
Chief Spokesperson,
For: Conveners, LCSFront
Wednesday, 4th September, 2024
