• Slam FG’s planned youth confab
As the trial of the Abuja 11 comes up tomorrow before Justice Emeka Nwite, the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) is afraid that the defendants might not get justice from a Nigerian court, “unless the judiciary manages to surmount political interference.”
At a briefing in Lagos, yesterday, YRC, in a statement read by the National Secretary, Francis Nwapa, also slammed the Federal Government for planning a youth conference while antagonising the same youths it was supposed to be discussing with.
In the same vein, the Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA) vehemently condemned the ongoing persecution of 11 activists leading the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The Abuja 11 comprises Michael ‘Lenin’ Adaramoye, Sodiq Mosiu, Daniel Akande, Angel Love Innocent, Adeyemi Abayomi and Buhari Lawal.
Others are Bashir Bello, Suleiman Yakubu, Simon Opaoluwa, Nuradeen Khamis and Abdulsalam Zubairu as well as other peaceful protesters and activists in detention and on trial nationwide.
Their trial, initially slated for November 8, 2024, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, was postponed due to Justice Nwite’s vacation. It is now scheduled to commence on January 29, 2025.
According to the groups, January 29 is a date that underscores the regime’s continued assault on the fundamental rights of citizens.
On the proposed youth confab, while declaring ‘no justice, no dialogue, YRC added: “We find it incredible that at the same time as the Nigerian state on the verge of sentencing these innocent youths and activists to death, it is also thinking about organising a so-called youth confab.
“We urge Nigerian youth not to allow themselves to be bamboozled by the Tinubu regime. How can a regime that is about to sentence our leaders to death for protesting peacefully, while continuing to attack our right to freedom of expression and assembly, provide a credible atmosphere for genuine discussion about our needs and demands?”
It urged youth and civil society groups to unite and ask the Tinubu government, with one voice, to show good faith by, first, halting the “sham” trial against the Abuja 11 and other activists.
For Zikora Ibeh of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), there should be no shame in admitting mistakes in life; so, she urged the Tinubu government to admit its error and make a volte-face.
She also urged the government to free up the civic space as part of the social contract.
Coordinator of YRC, Hassan Soweto, insists that the arraignment of unarmed protesters on terrorism charges is the height of dictatorship, as protests can never be criminalised.
On the confab, Soweto said, “We are not averse to dialogue, but we want to be sure that we will be heard when we talk.”
He noted that the briefing was the beginning of another round of campaigns against oppressive governments in the country.
Echoing Idi Amin of Uganda, Blessing Osugba of the #EndBadGovernance Movement said, in Nigeria, “There is freedom of speech, but freedom after speech is not guaranteed.”
