The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), a coalition of over 45 pro-democracy civil society organizations in West Africa, has issued a strong condemnation of the recent police crackdown on protesters in Nigeria.
The protests, which were against harsh economic conditions and the current state of governance, resulted in the loss of lives.
This violent suppression of protests in Nigeria is part of a troubling pattern of civil rights violations across the ECOWAS subregion, mirroring similar incidents in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, and Togo. WADEMOS expressed deep regret that citizens’ efforts to hold their government accountable are being met with such excessive force.
This is especially concerning given that it has been only four years since the ENDSARS protests, where Nigerians protested vehemently against police brutality.
WADEMOS has therefore called on Nigerian authorities to thoroughly investigate these incidents and to bring those responsible to justice in order to protect and uphold citizens’ rights, including freedom of speech and assembly.
The Network emphasized the importance of the government engaging with protesters, providing a clear roadmap, and urgently addressing their concerns.
While WADEMOS urged the government to protect the rights of the protesters and engage with them constructively, it also denounced any acts of lawlessness and destruction of private and public property by some protesters.
The Network cautioned Nigerians to express their grievances through lawful means without causing damage and havoc.
WADEMOS urged all protesters to resort to peaceful and civil processes for expressing their grievances, including the use of dialogue.
Below is the Full Press Release:
WADEMOS CONDEMNS VIOLENT CLAMPDOWN ON PROTESTERS IN NIGERIA
The West Africa Democracy Solidarity Network (WADEMOS), a network comprising over 45 pro-democracy civil society organizations in West Africa, condemns the police crackdown on Nigerians protesting against harsh economic conditions and the state of governance in the country, resulting in the loss of lives.
The happenings in Nigeria add to a series of recent incidents signaling a growing suppression of civil rights across the ECOWAS subregion.
It uncomfortably mirrors similar suppressions of protests in recent times in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, and Togo.
The Network considers it regrettable that citizens’ efforts to hold their government accountable are met with such excessive force, barely four years after Nigerians vociferously decried police brutalities during the ENDSARS Protests.
The Network calls on Nigerian authorities to investigate these incidents and subject those
found culpable to the full rigors of the law in the interest of safeguarding and defending the rights of citizens, including freedom of speech and assembly.
We urge the government and relevant state authorities to grant an audience to the protesters, provide a clear roadmap, and commit to addressing their concerns and challenges, as a matter of urgency.
While entreating the government to engage the protestors and protect their rights, we also denounce the reported acts of lawlessness and destruction to private and public properties by some protestors and caution Nigerians to express their grievances by all lawful means without causing damage and havoc to properties.
We urge all protesters to resort to civil and peaceful processes for expressing their grievances, including the use of dialogue.
About WADEMOS
WADEMOS is an independent and a non-partisan network of diverse national and
transnational civil society organizations and civic groups working to promote and defend
democracy, good governance and inclusive development in the West Africa region.
WADEMOS mobilizes, coordinates, and leverages the collective voice and power of civil society and other pro-democracy actors, the West Africa region to advance its mission. The WADEMOS Secretariat is based in Accra, Ghana.
