CSOs lament members’ harassment in Niger Republic

Civil society leaders in Nigeria have expressed worry at the way their members have been constantly harassed and detained on the orders of Niger Republic.
According to the CSOs, civil society activists in Niger in the past three years have come under a renewed crackdown from state actors leading to series of convictions, arrests and detentions.
In a press statement jointly signed by Jibrin Ibrahim, Centre for Democracy and Development ,Y. Z. Ya’u, Centre for Technology and Development, John Odah, Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC, Idayat Hassan, Centre for Democracy and Development, among others, said the the latest wave of arrests followed the demonstration by thousands of Nigerians against the austerity measures embedded in the country’s 2018 budget.
“On 25th March 2018, security agents raided offices of major civil society organisations in Niger, attacked and arrested 23 of their leaders.
“They were charged for participation in an illegal demonstration and were sent to jail without trial. At the same time, the radio and television station – Radio et Télévision Labarai (RTL) was closed.
“We call for the immediate release of our comrades unlawfully detained in prisons in Niger and Demand for a stop at the systematic harassment and serial arrest of civil society organisations and leaders in Niger.
“Appeal for a review of the 2018 budget, which has significantly increased the austerity measures in Niger and increased the suffering and misery of the masses in Nigeria
“We call on the good people of Niger to continue with determination their struggle for the defense of democratic and civil rights in their country;
“Demand that President Muhammadu Buhari in the spirit of good neighborliness and the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance intervene with his counterpart in Niger to secure the release of civil society leaders and the edification of democracy and the rule of law”.