The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has condemned the Nigerian Police Force, NPF and other security agencies for disrupting the Monday peaceful protest of some Nigerians demanding the freedom of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
The rights group in a statement signed by Debo Adeniran said it’s the Constitutional right of Nigerians to demonstrate whenever they are not happy with the government, saying it’s wrong to attack the protesters with brute force.
On Monday, some Nigerians led by Omoyele Sowore led a national protest under the aegis of #freeNnamdikanu, demanding the unconditional release of the IPOB strongman who has been detained by the Department of State Services, DSS, since 2021, he’s being prosecuted for terrorism and treason related charges.
During the protest in Abuja, the nation’s capital yesterday, the protesters were attacked by the police and other security officials who allegedly fired live bullets and teargas to disperse the protesters. Some demonstrators have also been arrested and detained by the Police.
Reacting, Adeniran described the action of the Police as oppressive and condemnable, noting that their action is a violation of protesters constitutional right under democracy.
Below, the CDHR Statement:
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) condemns the disruption of the peaceful protest led by Mr. Omoyele Sowore in Abuja today. The protest, a constitutionally guaranteed peaceful assembly, was met with unnecessary force by officers of the Nigerian Police
We would like to remind the government that freedom of assembly and expression in a protest are fundamental and inalienable human rights, enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and several international human rights instruments that Nigeria subscribes to. The government cannot therefore criminalise citizens who assemble peacefully and express their opinions on, or dissatisfaction with government actions, inactions or policies. The actions of the Nigerian Police in tear-gassing armless, non-violent civilians constitute excessive use of force and a gross violation of the protesters’ rights and opposed to all known democratic principles. It is oppressive and utterly condemnable.
It is our belief that no individual or group in a free and democratic society should be subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment for simply exercising their rights of expression and to peaceful assembly and, indeed protests. The deployment of state instruments of coercion against citizens expressing such legitimate grievances against a government action is an unacceptable abuse of power and a direct assault on the sensibility of our people and civilized principles of democracy. Such high-handed tactics do not resolve conflicting issues but rather exacerbate them, thus breeding public resentment and creating a fertile ground for more hostile and possible subterranean violent actions in the future.
We are particularly surprised by the reports of arrest of several protesters in Abuja. CDHR demands the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained for participating in this peaceful protest. Their arrest is unnecessary and a blatant attempt to criminalize dissent.
The CDHR wishes to state unequivocally that government’s attempt at silencing dissent voices will also breed grave consequences on the nation’s peaceful coexistence and stability. Such will turn out to engender public anger that has a potentiality of devastating volatility that may be difficult to douse.
We, in the CDHR, will continue to monitor the situation closely with a view to ensuring that those whose rights are violated in this and other protests get deserved justice.
Debo Adeniran
President, CDHR
Lagos, 20 October, 2025
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
