HURIWA Seeks UN Support To Prevent Govt Action Against October 1 Protesters

HURIWA Seeks UN Support To Prevent Govt Action Against October 1 Protesters

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva and the UN Secretary-General in New York to step in and pressure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to avoid deploying armed security forces against peaceful protesters set to demonstrate on October 1, 2024. Naija News reports that the protest aims to highlight the rising cost of living and poor governance in Nigeria……CONTINUE READING 

HURIWA’s plea for international intervention arises from concerns that the Nigerian government, under President Tinubu, may deploy heavily armed security personnel to suppress the protests, similar to what occurred in August 2024, when some protesters were allegedly killed during the #EndBadGovernance protests. The group stressed that those responsible for the unlawful killings of peaceful protesters would be identified and prosecuted at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for crimes against humanity.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA stated: “We are warning the military and police chiefs, including the head of the nation’s secret police, that they may face prosecution at the ICC in The Hague for the unlawful killings of peaceful protesters in Nigeria, no matter how long it takes for justice to be served.”

HURIWA also expressed shock at the silence of the international community, including leaders like U.S. President Joe Biden and the Prime Ministers of the UK and Canada, in response to the extrajudicial killings of peaceful protesters in Nigeria. The group accused these leaders of “conspiratorial silence” and argued that the continued suppression of civic freedoms by armed security forces threatens Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

The organization reminded the UNHRC of its duty to protect human rights defenders and ensure that countries like Nigeria, which have signed various human rights treaties, uphold constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. HURIWA cited the UNHRC’s mandate, which states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, which are essential components of democracy.”

HURIWA urged the UN to provide technical advice on safeguarding the right to peaceful assembly and to monitor how protests are managed. They called for support in promoting dialogue to address the root causes of these demonstrations, as well as guidance on the appropriate use of force in managing protests.

Additionally, HURIWA criticized both the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Human Rights Council for their failure to condemn the alleged unlawful killings of protesters by Nigeria’s democratically elected government. The rights group condemned the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and also criticized the government’s misuse of state High Courts to stifle constitutional freedoms through legal maneuvers and ex-parte orders.