Falana backs military in denouncing protesters’ use of Russian flag
07 August 2024 |
4:18 am
• IGP, Immigration boss disclose moves against external financiers of violent protests • DSS says sponsors of foreign flag display nabbed • Police warn proponents of unconstitutional change of govt • Arrest dozens of alleged violent protesters Protesters who run afoul of the law for waving the Russian flag should not expect the legal services…
• IGP, Immigration boss disclose moves against external financiers of violent protests
• DSS says sponsors of foreign flag display nabbed
• Police warn proponents of unconstitutional change of govt
• Arrest dozens of alleged violent protesters
Protesters who run afoul of the law for waving the Russian flag should not expect the legal services of prominent human rights advocate, Femi Falana.More likely to be seen knocking security operatives for violating people’s rights, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), however, backed heads of security agencies yesterday in condemning some #EndBadGovernance protesters who have been brandishing the Russian flag.
“While we have supported the right of the #EndBadGovernance protesters, we have a patriotic duty to call on them to distance themselves from the undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.
“It has become necessary to point out that calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia, a country noted for supporting unconstitutional changes of government in Africa, constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria. The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for an unconstitutional change of government,” the rights advocate said.
He warned that persons calling for military rule may be accused of engaging in a treasonable felony in contravention of Section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.
Falana (SAN) also called on President Tinubu’s administration to review the neoliberal policies promoting poverty and hardship in Nigeria and make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive to the citizenry.
“The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited should negotiate lower prices of petroleum products since the Federal Executive Council has directed that 445,000 barrels of crude oil be allocated daily and sold to the Dangote Refinery in naira.
“Government officials should also articulate policies more engagingly. The feedback from such civic engagements should also positively inform policies. That’s the popular democratic path for citizens to take as against the reprehensible invitation to the tragedy of military rule,” he said.
Also, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria reiterated the fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen to protest for or against the government is guaranteed by Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and Articles 9 and 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
According to him, “The right to protest must be exercised peacefully within the ambit of the law. Hence, Section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 has imposed a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for citizens who may wish to participate in public meetings, rallies, and protests.”
Falana’s reaction to the ongoing protests came as the heads of security agencies yesterday held a joint press briefing at the Defence Headquarters, hosted by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa.
At the briefing, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, said the armed forces are committed to watching democracy grow as part of their operational mandate. However, “The flying of flags of another country shows that the protest isn’t for a peaceful course but to cause disarray.”
He assured that the military would stand and aid the Nigerian police in carrying out their job with ease, adding that the Navy will not sit back and watch criminal elements continue with treasonous acts.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said that police and security agencies have identified external financiers of violent protests in Nigeria and blocked their sources.
According to the IGP, police were careful in the management of the crisis and did not deploy water cannons and rubber bullets for rifles. The police boss hinted that the shooting of an innocent protester in Kubwa, Abuja, was not the handwork of police operatives.
He said robbers or armed hoodlums may have done the shooting. “Nobody fired gunshots, and we didn’t use force, and in the midst of the protest, we arrested criminals who stole and committed other offences,” he added.
The CDS noted that the constant briefing of the media shows the respect and love the security heads have for the country and their commitment to their task.
“The only people we are after are the enemies of the state who should be ready to face the law. We will not relent in pursuing those who continue to encourage subversions. We remain professional, and men on the fields will remain professional as well,” he said.
The Department of State Services (DSS) spokesman, Dr Peter Afunanya, told reporters that some of the sponsors of using foreign flags during the protest have been arrested. He urged Nigerians to be patient as their identities would soon be disclosed.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja, said long before the protest, the Nigerian Army had deployed troops due to security challenges across Nigeria.
He said the army is assured of Nigeria’s democracy, peace and harmony and will not change its position. He appealed to youths to desist from violence, saying the Nigerian Army will not watch the country slide into anarchy.
“We would continue to partner with other security agencies to maintain peace and stability,” Lagbaja said. For her part, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, noted that some Nigerians abroad identified as behind the violent protests have been pinpointed and placed on an Immigration watch list.
According to her, much work is ongoing to profile immigrants coming into and out of the country to ensure the security of citizens.
RELATEDLY, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) warned against the display of foreign flags during protests or calls for the military to take over the government, saying such actions constitute a treasonable felony under Nigerian law. This followed violent protests, particularly in Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and other northern states, where protesters brandished foreign flags.
The Force also revealed that it arrested about 90 protesters who allegedly engaged in the destruction of public properties. The spokesman, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, said ongoing investigations revealed that protest organisers in the states above were luring innocent children into participating in unpatriotic and criminal acts.
He said: “Over 90 suspects have been arrested, including tailors who sewed the flags and their sponsors. Efforts are underway to apprehend others who sponsored the production of the flags and fuelled these treasonable acts.
“The display of foreign flags and calls for a military takeover constitute a clear treasonable offence, revealing the motives of protest organisers to destabilise Nigeria’s democratic government. This aligns with actionable intelligence on the tactics of fifth columnists and non-state actors exploiting economic hardship protests to further their nefarious goals.”
Adejobi noted that tensions from the ongoing protests eased following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s address on August 4, 2024. “However, some groups persist in subversive campaigns in the form of violent and unlawful protests characterised by the destruction of public infrastructure and private property, looting, display of foreign flags, and calls for a military takeover. These individuals and groups will be treated as subversive agents and charged accordingly.”
He added: “The Inspector General of Police has directed Deputy Inspectors General for the Northwest and Northeast zones, DIGs Bala Ciroma and Bello Makwashi, to take charge of operations in the states within the two geopolitical zones where subversive campaigns are ongoing under the guise of protests. They are tasked with stabilising the situation and preventing further violence in the affected states.
“The NPF reiterates that the use of foreign flags during protests and openly calling for a military takeover of the government is a capital offence under Nigerian law. The police caution Nigerian youths to be wary of individuals and groups turning protests into business ventures funded by local or foreign sponsors to destabilise the country. Evidence shows that these sponsors have paid significant sums to exploit the hardship protests, brainwashing and misleading innocent children into aiding this campaign against the government.”
Also, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Chief Yohanna Margif, condemned the hoisting of the Russian flag during the protests, describing the action as disrespectful to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Margif expressed his thoughts in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday. He described the development as worrisome, treasonable, and indicative of ignorance on the part of the protesters. Margif lauded President Tinubu’s swift direction to the nation’s security chiefs to crack down on the culprits and bring them to book.
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