The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) condemns the arrest of Kola Edokpayi by the Department of State Services (DSS) and subsequent abduction of Martin Vincent Otse, aka Very Dark Man (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Also condemnable is the incarceration of Thomas Umar, the State coordinator of the Take it Back (TIB) movement in Gombe State, for making social media posts critical of the government.
We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of all the activists and a halt to further erosion of democratic rights.
As far as we are concerned, this abuse of power and heavy repression of critics and free speech further demonstrate the growing authoritarianism of the Bola Tinubu regime.
We believe the call by Kola Edokpayi for a Pan African Solidarity protest in solidarity with the Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso is not an offense under Nigerian or international law. We also find it worrisome that VDM who is a social commentator and a vocal critic of oppressive acts of government and its agencies was abducted by the EFCC, an agency whose only responsibility is to fight financial crimes and not to abduct those who are critical of their activities.
While this arbitrary abduction and arrest of innocent Nigerians and vocal critics continue unabated, the security agencies have closed their eyes to the trending video of a factional NANS president who has alleged Seyi Tinubu of sending cultists to abduct, torture, and strip him naked. Up till now, neither the police nor any other security agency has invited Seyi Tinubu for questioning let alone effected his arrest.
We call on Nigerian youth to commence mobilization towards a Nationwide protest to reject Tinubu’s authoritarianism and his policies of hunger, misery and hopelessness.
We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Kola Edokpayi, VDM, Thomas Umar and all Nigerians currently incarcerated for expressing their views or criticizing oppressive acts. We also demand dropping of charges against Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others in the Abuja ‘treason’ trial as well as freedom for all #Endbadgovernance protesters still in jail.
Francis Nwapa, National Secretary Youth Rights Campaign (Nigeria)
We, of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), unequivocally condemn the conditions attached to the bail granted to Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq and eight others, who have been incarcerated in connection with #EndBadGovernance protest for about six weeks now, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja. These conditions, which require a surety each with property in Abuja and 10 million naira, not only reflect a troubling disregard for the fundamental rights of ordinary people but also reveal a judiciary system that does not care about the legitimate grievances expressed by the Nigerians in the August protests, particularly the worsening economic hardship and mass hunger.
In other words, it is a bail which does not guarantee freedom for those subjected to injustice by Tinubu government as it is difficult to meet the financial demands of the conditions. In addition to Michael Lenin and Sodiq, others are: Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), Nuradeen Khamis, Abdulsalam Zubairu.
Michael Lenin, National Coordinator of YRC was arrested and blindfolded together with Sodiq in the wee hours of 5 August by the operatives of National Intelligence Agency on the order of Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu.
The charges are trumped-up and fabricated, aimed at stifling dissent and suppressing protests. For instance, one of the ridiculous charges is treason, which carries death penalty, for merely carrying placards with the inscription “End Bad Governance”.
We demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of charges against Micheal Lenin and nine others, and the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals arrested in connection with the August protests yet to be charged. These include 39 who have been slammed in Kuje prison without being arraigned in court since 22 August, and Daniel Akande who is being held at the facility of the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team in Abuja without trial since 2 September. There is also Khalid Aminu who has been in custody of the DSS without trial since the first week of August.
We also call on the police and other security operatives to stop the constant harassment of President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero and desist from the planned arrest of some socialist and left activists based in Abuja. We also demand the unfreezing of bank accounts of activists and organisations which have been barred in connection with #EndBadGovernance protests. Labour and pro-masses’ organisations should support these demands. End the atmosphere of intimidation and repression by the Tinubu government. Its descent to civil dictatorship must be resisted.
Moreover, we must highlight a glaring hypocrisy within the legal system. Corrupt politicians and other members of the thieving elite accused of serious offences often receive lenient bail conditions that starkly contrast with those imposed on ordinary citizens. This disparity underscores a systemic bias that favours the rich ruling elite who steal public wealth but penalises ordinary people for exercising their democratic rights.
We call on the labour movement, especially leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society organisations and human rights groups to practically lend weight and voice to ensuring that Michael Lenin and nine others who have been granted bail to regain freedom and demand the immediate and unconditional release of all in different detention facilities in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests.
We specifically charge NLC President Joe Ajaero to walk the talk he made during a visit to the new President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) as he was reported to have “reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to working alongside the NBA in promoting the rights of workers and all Nigerians” (Punch, 14 September). The NLC must ensure that all those arrested and detained over #EndBadGovernance protests are released. Instructively, they include Eleojo Opaluwa, a regional officer of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Vice Chair of NLC Kogi State council.
Tinubu is using the detention of activists and attacks on democratic rights to serve as deterrent to further mass protests. Working people and youth must fight for the freedom of detained protesters and prepared to join a future protest against Tinubu anti-poor policies.
Nigeria Solidarity 