The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Minna branch condemns both the chaotic and violent protests, as well as the excessive use of force by security personnel in Suleja, where some persons were allegedly killed.
Barrister Isyaku Barau, Chairman, NBA, Minna said this in a press statement where he commended the decision of Nigerlites in Minna and other parts of the state for not participating in the ongoing nationwide protests against hunger and bad governance.
It can be recalled that prior to the commencement of the nationwide protests, the President of NBA, Y. C. Maikyau SAN, acknowledged the hunger and suffering among Nigerians and called on the government to expedite actions to provide relief.
He appealed to the protest organizers and the Nigerian populace to call off the protests and engage in frank and sincere discussions with the government.
He forsaw the potential negative outcomes of the protests on socio-economic and political development, noting that previous peaceful protests in Nigeria had often been hijacked and turned violent by miscreants and hoodlums.
Barau said all NBA branches in Nigeria had received directives from the President to form Situation Monitoring Committees to observe the protests if they proceeded.
He said the Minna branch has constituted a ten-member committee chaired by the branch’s Vice Chairman, Mohammed Abugi, who is also the chairman of the Human Rights Committee of NBA Minna Branch.
He added that the committee’s role is to collaborate with security agencies to protect peaceful protesters, monitor the protests for human rights abuses, compile and document evidence of such abuses, liaise with security authorities in emergencies, and provide pro bono legal services for peaceful protesters when necessary.
While recognizing the constitutional rights of Nigerians to protest, he noted that the NBA Minna branch strongly condemns acts of violence, looting, and the wanton destruction of private and public properties under the guise of protest, particularly the alleged attack and destruction of Tafa Local Government Secretariat.
The chairman calles for the establishment of an independent panel to investigate the alleged killings in Suleja, Niger State.
He said the decision of the people of Niger State not to participate in nationwide protests was as a result of the positive impacts of the Niger State Government’s initiatives on urban renewal and food security, which are expected to address hunger in the state soon.
