The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikere-Ekiti branch, has described as unfortunate the clampdown on Saturday’s peaceful protest by the Yoruba nation agitators in Lagos.
The body, after condemning the police invasion, described the act as antithetical and unknown to any democratic settings across the globe.
Speaking through its chairperson at the 2021 press week of the branch with the theme, ‘Insecurity and Rule of Law: Nigeria at a Crossroads,’ the body said the association was astonished that agents of government would pounce on people peacefully agitating.
Kikelomo Owolabi who is the chairperson of Ikere-Ekiti branch of NBA called on the federal government not to turn the country into a lawless one through a sustained clampdown on perceived anti-government voices.
She said residents should be allowed to express themselves without any fear of attack or victimisation.
Owolabi noted further that people have the legitimate rights under the constitution to demonstrate peacefully, adding the Sunday’s arrest of about ten youths in a church in Abuja for wearing anti-government clothes stand condemned by the association.
“Our association condemned the Saturday’s attack and arrest of peaceful protesters in Lagos, this development is strange to us because we are a democracy and not in a lawless country.
“It is our right to demonstrate peacefully in the streets and the actions of the police and other law enforcement agencies is condemnable,” she added.
