The Presidency has informed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that the rights of meeting and freedom of expression assured to residents within the structure aren’t absolute.
It mentioned the rights may be abridged within the curiosity of public peace.
The Particular Adviser to the President on Data and Technique, Bayo Onanuga, mentioned this in an announcement on Tuesday whereas reacting to a publish, Atiku made on X.com earlier.
Atiku had, within the publish on, cautioned safety companies towards utilizing deadly pressure towards peaceable civilian protesters who’re demonstrating towards unhealthy governance and the hardship within the nation.
However Onanuga mentioned Atiku’s warning ought to have been directed on the protesters who’ve turned peaceable protests into violence in states like Kaduna and Kano.
The assertion learn, “Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, this night, tweeted the absurd: he warned safety companies towards utilizing deadly pressure towards looters and arsonists who masqueraded as protesters.
“As a statesman, his warning should be to the looting mob in Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, and Jigawa states, who hijacked what was marketed by organisers as a peaceable protest.
“Our safety forces have remained skilled, and even-handed, and noticed each restraint within the face of utmost provocation by the rioters. We’re shocked that Alhaji Atiku remains to be counting on Part 40 of our structure (as amended) to justify a protest that’s now clearly a riot, a rampage in some elements of the nation. Part 45 of the structure says the proper of meeting and the proper of freedom of expression aren’t absolute.
“They are often abridged and fettered within the curiosity of public peace, public security, legislation, and order. The Service Chiefs reiterated the rights of Nigerians to protest and collect freely.
“They, nonetheless, strengthened their constitutional responsibility, as we speak, after they mentioned they can’t sit by idly and watch hoodlums destroy the nation and its democracy. The Service Chiefs and the officers and males of our safety outfits ought to be counseled for his or her patriotic responsibility to our nation.”