Demand release of activists

A Coalition of labour activists, pro-democracy groups and civil society organisations have marched to the Oyo State House of Assembly and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) office in Ibadan to protest what they described as growing assaults on democratic freedoms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The groups, including the Federal Workers Forum, Campaign for the Defence of Workers’ Rights, Take It Back Movement, Amílcar Cabral Ideological School, Africa Action Congress (AAC), Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and several others, said Nigerians across the country are facing escalating arrests, intimidation and detentions for expressing dissenting views.

Leaders of the coalition, while speaking during the demonstration, said the wave of clampdowns represents a deliberate attempt to shrink civic space and criminalise criticism, warning that the trend threatens Nigeria’s democratic stability.

The protesters, who arrived at the Oyo Assembly complex in the morning before proceeding to the NHRC office, submitted petitions highlighting what they called systematic harassment of activists, journalists and citizens.

At the NHRC, the delegation was received by the Commission’s Director in Ibadan, Ayo Ogundele, who acknowledged their concerns and promised to engage relevant authorities.

The groups cited recent cases of alleged victimisation involving Andrew Emelieze, Coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum; Abiodun Bamgboye, popularly known as Abbey Trotsky; Oyo State Coordinator of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights; Omoyele Sowore, Chairperson of the African Action Congress; activist Michael Adaramoye, and 10 others, including the “UI 3”, students of the University of Ibadan: Aduwo Ayodele, Nice Linus and Mide Gbadegesin.

According to the coalition, the affected individuals have faced arrests, detention, prolonged court cases or intimidation for participating in protests, criticising government policies or mobilising workers and students. They described the pattern as “a direct attack on fundamental freedoms.”

The march was part of activities marking the 2025 International Human Rights Day, with organisers insisting that the Federal Government must halt what they termed the misuse of the Cybercrime Act to “silence legitimate dissent.”

In their petition to the Oyo Assembly, the activists said: “The Nigerian government must immediately stop using state institutions to threaten, detain or prosecute citizens for exercising their rights. No government has the authority to criminalise dissent or punish criticism.”