Civil rights activist, Dele Farotimi, has criticised the Nigerian Police and the judiciary for allegedly restricting citizens from holding peaceful protests, saying their actions show that Nigeria is only pretending to be a democracy. Speaking in an interview monitored by Radio Now’s Newsdesk, Farotimi argued that citizens do not require police permission to protest, only notification for security purposes.
His comments followed Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanu protest in Abuja led by activist Omoyele Sowore, during which police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Farotimi said it was “unheard of” for citizens in a democracy to seek approval from the police before protesting, adding that the judiciary had become an extension of the executive.
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The activist said peaceful protesters should not be criminalised and recounted being detained under what he described as a “non-existent law.” He maintained that the Nigerian state “does not listen” to its citizens and that the government’s response to the 2020 EndSARS protests showed nothing had changed.
Reacting, Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police acted within a court order restricting protests around critical infrastructure in Abuja, including the National Assembly and Aso Rock. He added that the action was taken to protect lives and property, stressing that protesters could still express their views in other parts of the city.
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