A human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), on Sunday, has emphasised the right of Nigerians to peacefully protest in support or against the Federal Government without requiring a permit from the Presidency.
Falana recalled how President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) protested against insecurity on November 14, 2014.
He said this in reaction to a statement by a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who had alleged that about 2,000 persons had been hired to protest against the service chiefs to embarrass the President Buhari.
Falana then warned the Nigeria Police authorities to desist from harassing any protester in the country.
The Human Right Lawyer said the Presidency lacked the power to stop people from protesting against service chiefs for allegedly poorly handling the war against terrorism in the country.
Shehu had said, “The Presidency wishes to caution a section of the political class against misleading the public and inciting protests against the heads of military institutions.
“This has become necessary in view of received reports that about 2,000 men and women have been hired to demonstrate against Nigeria’s service chiefs on Monday.”
He added that a group of protesters, last week, staged a procession in Abuja in support of the prosecution of the counter-insurgency operations by the service chiefs and demanded the expulsion of Amnesty International from Nigeria without any hindrance.
He said Nigerians had the right to protest for and against the Federal Government without requiring a permit from the Presidency.
Falana stated, “The authorities of the Nigeria Police Force are urged not to harass aggrieved Nigerians for protesting against perceived injustice in the country.
“After all, a group of citizens were allowed to demonstrate in Abuja last week in support of the prosecution of the counter-insurgency operations by the service chiefs.
