Human rights activist and one of the lawyers representing the #EndBadGovernance protesters, Deji Adeyanju, has slammed the federal government over the treason charges levied against the arrested protesters, News About Nigeria reports.
Speaking in response to the order of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday, to remand some #EndBadGovernance protesters at the Kuje Medium Correctional Centre after being charged with treason, Adeyanju alleged that while bandits are allowed to walk freely with no charges, protesters are being remanded for exercising their rights as citizens.
While speaking to newsmen, the human rights activist also lamented that despite calls for the President Bola Tinubu-led government to allow the protesters to go unconditionally, they still went on to charge protesters.
He said, “It is really sad that peaceful protesters are being charged and no bandit is being charged, and that is our dismay and unbelief. The government yesterday arrested another protester in church, and they called him an armed robber because that was the only ground they could take him away. It is very sad that we have degenerated to this level as a nation. It is really sad.”
“How can somebody criminalize freedom of assembly? It is a constitutionally guaranteed right that has been re-echoed severally by the courts. So it is unfortunate. It is just that the government has shown that of a truth they are misguided, they are not interested in doing the right thing, and it is really sad.”
He, however, noted that the lawyers representing the protesters are well prepared ahead of the September 11 hearing on their bail application fixed by Justice Emeka Nwite.
