Afrigather Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says the nationwide broadcast delivered by President Bola Tinubu on Sunday morning is but to handle the calls for of the protesters.
In a press release issued on Sunday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) mentioned a constructive response to the important thing calls for of the protesters who’re largely youth, might make them evaluation their actions.
“We name on the President to handle the calls for of the peaceable protesters. Thus far, the Presidential Speech falls wanting addressing the important thing demand, which is widespread to all of the lists of calls for of varied organisations and protesters on the street: reversal of the coverage of withdrawal of gas subsidy,” Falana mentioned.
“If the federal government takes the battle in opposition to corruption to grease sellers and crude oil is processed in government-owned refineries, there might be no foundation for gas subsidy, which is induced by the importation of petroleum merchandise,” the authorized luminary mentioned.
Falana hailed the demonstrators for conducting themselves and drawing the eye of the federal government to their plight by demanding good governance. He nevertheless referred to as for the discharge of all arrested protesters.
“We demand the quick and unconditional launch of all protesters that had been arrested and detained as a result of they haven’t dedicated any prison offence,” he mentioned.
Falana decried the quite a few assaults on peaceable protesters and harassment of journalists, calling on the police to carry out their precedence obligation of defending the lives of Nigerians.
“It’s the statutory duty of the Police to guard protesters in opposition to thugs who’re the creation of prison neglect. The Police mustn’t conceal below the guise of attacking thugs to assault peaceable protesters,” he mentioned.
“Aside from a couple of set off completely satisfied cops who had shot and killed protesters, the Nigeria Police Drive has dealt with the protests in knowledgeable method,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria mentioned.
The human rights lawyer nevertheless commiserates with the households of the “patriots” peaceable protesters that had been killed, urging the federal government to arrange a fee of inquiry to research the killings and convey the perpetrators to justice.
“We name on the Federal and State Governments to arrange Commissions of Inquiry, which ought to embody representatives of credible human rights organisations and the NBA to research the killings with a view to bringing to justice prosecute the reckless murderers in Police uniform.
“The members of the family of the deceased must be adequately compensated by the federal authorities,” Falana mentioned.
