By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA – A coalition of right activists, on Monday, besieged the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in Abuja, to demand the immediate release of the convener of the RevolutionNow Protest, Omoyele Sowore, who was arrested over the weekend by operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS.

Omoyele Sowore

The protesters, who described themselves as Concerned Activists, said they were perturbed that the Commission has continuously failed to speak up against what they termed as “alarming human rights abuses” by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

In the petition that was jointly signed by leader of the pro-democracy and good governance group, Concerned Nigerians, Deji Adeyanju and a human rights activist, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, the petitioners, decried that Sowore’s arrest followed a statement by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, restricted the rights of citizens to demonstrate, by criminalizing the RevolutionNow protest.

Buhari okays recommendation for establishment of State, LG Police(Opens in a new browser tab)

The petition which was submitted to the registry of the NHRC, a copy of which was obtained by Vanguard, read: “We are even more displeased by your silence in the face of the alarming human rights abuses considering the consistency of such anomaly under the present regime.

“Recent developments in the country especially the ever-growing proclivity of the General Buhari-led regime for human rights abuses are indicative of a complete departure from all democratic tenets, norms and practices.

Oath of Secrecy: Odinkalu drags NHRC to court, insists it’s illegal(Opens in a new browser tab)

“Among many others, an urgent case in point is the recent Department of State Services, DSS’ arrest of Omoyele Sowore; one of the conveners of the pro-people RevolutionNow movement which is demanding a safer and better Nigeria where good governance is seen and felt by all Nigerians.

“The arrest of Sowore comes after a statement by the IGP of police delimiting all actions of protest by citizens in Abuja to the Unity Fountain only, and additionally restricting the rights of citizens to demonstrate their remonstrances by criminalizing the RevolutionNow protest.

“We believe that these events are not only undemocratic but they are also disgraceful for a country like Nigeria that practices constitutional democracy.

“However, we are completely dissatisfied by the eerie silence of the National Human Rights Commission in the face of these undemocratic developments.

“Our dissatisfaction is further aggravated by the fact that the role of the NHRC in defending the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Nigerians is well-revered and dearly treasured by Nigerians.

“It is, therefore, our hope that the NHRC would wake up from its slumber and rise to its responsibility of defending Nigeria’s civic spaces and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the citizens”.

Meanwhile, the planned RevolutionNow protest in Abuja was marred by heavy rain that started around 6pm on Monday and stopped around 11am.

However, armed security operatives were stationed around the Three Arms Zone that leads to the Presidential Villa, as well as at the Unity Fountain where protesters usually converge before they set-out.

Vanguard