Amnesty International has cautioned the Nigerian government against threatening protesters.
Amnesty said such actions would undermine President Bola Tinubu’s legacy and commitment to democratic principles.
The warning comes as the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria’ protest gains momentum, with protesters planning to demonstrate across 36 states and the federal capital from August 1 to 10.
The protest aims to address grievances over the high cost of living, poverty, and worsening inflation.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has urged dissatisfied youths to call off the protest, while the military and police have warned against violent demonstrations
However, in a Saturday interview with Channels Television, the international organization’s chairman in Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, praised security agencies for their democratic behaviour while warning that threats against peaceful protesters could result in democratic reversal.
“For anybody to come and say what you are doing is illegal or we will deal with you when you do that, you are actually undermining the President who so much believes in the democratic tenets,” Rafsanjani said
“Let me thank the security agencies for realising that the initial threats they were making to brutally deal with protesters, especially peaceful protesters were actually undermining the integrity of the Tinubu administration,” he said.
“They were making democratic reversal as the President himself is someone who believes in democracy and democracy gives opportunity for people to express themselves lawfully, peaceful.”
Rafsanjani noted that democracy allows for lawful and peaceful expression, and the government has a duty to protect protesters.
He did, however, call on the government and security agencies to provide security cover for the protest to prevent hoodlums from exploiting the situation.
Rafsanjani stated “Both myself as an individual and the organisations that I represent do not believe in any violence because violence is not a solution. However, we insist and believe that the government has the duty to protect the protest itself because it is part of the democratic tenet.
“The President knows very well as a democrat, as somebody who participated in previous protests, he knows the value and importance.
“What I think is happening now is the international community and Nigerians are watching and seeing these utterances by hired people to bring religious connotation to it.”
