By Ajibola Adedoye
The latest attempt to criminalize protest by the national assembly is indeed a reflection of the depth to which anti-democratic forces are perfecting the coup to return Nigeria to the era of dictatorship and with the huge controversies trailing the conduct of 2023 presidential election, the resurgence of the bill to criminalize protest is no doubt an indication of the desperation to curtail freedom of expression and rights to demand just, accountable and transparent governance by organized platforms of civil society and by extension the generality of the citizenry.
A Non-Governmental Organization, Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights (CHSR) take this position during a press briefing conducted yesterday, May 9, 2023 at its Secretariat in Lagos.
President of CHSR, Comrade Alex Omotehinse said “it is no longer news that the bill sponsored by Hon. Emeka Chinedu Martins of the House of Representatives prescribing a five-year jail term for unlawful protesters in Nigeria has been passed for the second reading by the lower chambers of the national assembly. It is however important to note that this same bill was first presented to the House of Representatives in 2021 by the same Emeka Chinedu Martins who interesting is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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“The bill amongst other obnoxious provisions seeks to amend the Criminal Code Act, Cap 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 supposedly “to preserve the sanctity of human life and property, and to provide specifically for the crime of mob action, prescribe punishment and other matter” he stressed.
According to Comrade Omotehinse, CHSR views the provisions of the bill as deliberate attempt to criminalize peaceful protests and cow Nigerians into further submission under the guise of protecting public property. “We view strongly that the right to peaceful protests which is guarantee by the Constitution has been subjected to grievous attacks by this vexatious bill and must therefore be vehemently rejected by Nigerians”.
“Without doubt, the bill is aimed at legalizing police brutality by further shrinking the civil space. The bill portends danger to democracy and therefore deemed retrogressive and reprehensible by all genuine platforms of Nigeria civil society. The aim of the bill is to intimidate citizens with threats of being held accountable for state sponsored violence or orchestrated arson by those who seek to criminalize protests” he opined.
While highlighting the demands of CHSR, Comrade Omotehinse requested that the National Assembly should stop further deliberation forthwith on the obnoxious bill to criminalize right to protest, the National Assembly should henceforth abandon the route of undemocratic legislation which undermines the rights of Nigerians, the National Assembly should demand greater sense of responsibility and due diligence from the security agencies; particularly the police which must be held to account for the protection of public property during protests and finally the hallowed chamber should prioritize issues of security, electricity, education health, corruption, empowerment and fight against poverty etc. which are the critical challenge Nigerians are facing at the moment.
CHSR however stated categorically that the right to peaceful protest is not a privilege but inalienable and guaranteed by domestic and international statutes. “The right to protest must therefore not be subjected to any form of inhibition or deliberate abridgement through misleading legislation or amendment to extant law as presently the case with the retrogressive bill in the House of Representatives”.