The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has written to the National Human Rights Commission, demanding the release of some of the arrested #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters.
RULAAC, in a letter signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, described the continued arrests of citizens participating in or associated with Nigeria’s peaceful protests against economic hardship and widespread suffering under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as undemocratic.
The letter read, “RULAAC writes to bring to the attention of the National Human Rights Commission and to request the commission to intervene to secure the release of Mr. Babatunde Oluajo and others abducted and currently detained incommunicado by operatives of the State Security Service.
“We received information about the arrest of Mr. Tunde Oluajo (a.k.a. Sankara), a human rights activist and anti-corruption campaigner, and Michael Adaramoye, the National Coordinator of Youth Rights Campaign, in Abuja. They and others were arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) at about 2 a.m. on Monday, August 5, 2024.
“RULAAC views the continued clampdown on citizens participating in, or associated with, the peaceful protest in Nigeria against economic hardship and widespread suffering in Nigeria under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration as undemocratic.”
The group emphasised that it is not an offence when citizens peacefully protest to call the attention of the government to their plight and the pains of their fellow citizens.
The statement said, “The citizens are simply making legitimate demands for good governance. The repressive clampdown by security agencies underscores the government’s insensitivity and despotic disposition.
“The continued clampdown on protesters and protest organisers in Nigeria is indeed contrary to the Tinubu government’s claim that it respects the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
“It reflects an intolerance for dissent and demonstrates insincerity and hypocrisy by the same government that acknowledges the right of citizens to freedom of expression and the right to demand good governance devoid of corruption.”
The group added that such measures demonstrated a disregard for human rights and democratic ideals, undermining the government’s credibility in promoting and preserving these rights.
They believe that using force, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests to suppress peaceful protests is inappropriate.
The statement added, ”The use of force, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests to suppress peaceful protesters is unacceptable in a democratic society and goes against the principles of freedom of expression and assembly as enshrined in international human rights treaties that Nigeria has ratified.
“RULAAC calls on the commission to ensure the immediate release of all citizens arrested by the SSS and other security agencies in connection with the peaceful exercise of their democratic rights.
“The government should respect citizens’ rights to protest peacefully and dialogue with them to address their grievances rather than clamp down on them.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
