Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has called on President Bola Tinubu to address the demands of peaceful protesters. In a statement on Sunday, Falana criticized the presidential speech delivered earlier that morning, stating it fell short of addressing the key demand: the reversal of the fuel subsidy withdrawal policy.
“If the government targets corruption among oil dealers and ensures crude oil is processed in government-owned refineries, the need for a fuel subsidy, which is driven by the importation of petroleum products, would be eliminated. A positive response to the key demands of the youths could lead them to reconsider their actions. Ignoring their demands will only provoke continued protests,” Falana stated.
Falana praised the protesters for highlighting the plight of millions of hungry Nigerians and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained protesters, emphasizing that they had committed no criminal offense.
He condemned the repression of peaceful protesters and expressed condolences to those who lost loved ones during the protests. Falana urged the government to establish commissions of inquiry to bring those responsible for the killings to justice.
“We commiserate with the families of the patriots and call on the Federal and State Governments to set up Commissions of Inquiry, including representatives of credible human rights organizations and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to investigate the killings and prosecute the perpetrators.
The families of the deceased should be adequately compensated by the federal government. The victims of the police killings should be recognized as heroes and heroines of the struggle for the emancipation of the downtrodden Nigerian people. Participation in peaceful protests should never be criminalized in Nigeria,” Falana asserted.
Falana also condemned the provocative remarks made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Vice President Kashim Shettima, as well as the federal government’s attempts to prevent the protests through blackmail and intimidation.
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Despite these efforts, protests were conducted peacefully in many states, although some thugs and overzealous police officers attacked unarmed protesters, resulting in several deaths. Falana criticized the police for failing to protect protesters and instead contributing to the violence.
In response to threats from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Falana emphasized that military intervention in peaceful protests is illegal and unconstitutional. He called for the police to continue handling the protests professionally and for the military to refrain from involvement.
Falana concluded by reiterating the demand for the government to address the protesters’ calls for the reversal of the fuel subsidy withdrawal and to tackle corruption in the oil sector. He stressed that the government must listen to the voices of its citizens and take steps to address their legitimate concerns.
