Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has cautioned protesters against actions that could undermine the purpose of their demonstrations.
He made this statement while speaking to newsmen on Monday.
Falana warned Nigerian youths protesting against hunger, hardship, and socio-economic policies to be cautious of thugs and distance themselves from undemocratic forces that have hijacked the peaceful protests to engage in violence or advocate for another military coup.
He emphasized, “The right to protest is required to be exercised peacefully within the ambit of the law… Having won the legal battle for the Nigerian people to exercise their constitutional right to protest against unpopular policies of the Government, I have supported the constitutional right from all walks of life to exercise the right to protest.”
Falana continued, “While we have supported the right of the #endbadgovernance protesters, we have a patriotic duty to call on them to distance themselves from the undemocratic forces… Calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia… constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria.”
He stressed, “The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for unconstitutional change of government… Those who are involved in the illegal campaign for another military rule are advised to stop it forthwith. Otherwise, they may be accused of engaging in the offence of treasonable felony.”
Falana concluded, “In order to make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive to the people of Nigeria, the Bola Tinubu administration ought to review the neoliberal policies that are promoting poverty and hardship in the land.”
