Workers and Youth Solidarity Network (WYSN)
Press Statement: (For Immediate Release)
20th September,2024
* FREE DANIEL AKANDE NOW!
* Right To Protest Is Constitutional; End Criminalization of Protest!
* Drop All Charges and Release All #EndBadGovernance Protest Detainees!
The Workers and Youth Solidarity Network -WYSN writes to demand the immediate and unconditional release of all #EndBadGovernance Protesters, illegally arrested by the present Tinubu administration, variously charged with spurious allegations and unjustly clamped down in various Prisons and Detention centres in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and other states in the country.
We wish to reiterate for the avoidance of doubt, that these Activists and Nigerians variously arrested were only exercising their Fundamental Right – the Right to peaceful Protest as pointedly guaranteed to by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is therefore totally undemocratic and highly condemnable, that the administration chose to launch a campaign of Repression and Terror against the Citizens including Activists and Socialists who are merely expressing their pains and dissent against the Bad Governance practices, against the several anti- People’s Policies and the widespread hardships these have triggered across the Country.
The government has, instead of finding lasting solutions to the problems it’s Policies have created, has rather sadly, kept fighting to close the Civic and Democratic space.
On 1 of September, 2024 on a Sunday, Comrade Akande Daniel was arrested in a Gestapo manner during a Church service, taken to, and detained at the Intelligence Response Team-IRT unit of the Nigeria Police Force. The only crime Daniel committed was supporting the EndBadGovernace Protest.
Till date, Comrade Daniel Akande has continued to be illegally detained at the IRT, Police Facility in Abuja without taken to any court.
His continued detention violates Sections 34 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental Rights to his Personal Liberty as well as to his Freedom of Expression.
While languishing in illegal detention, his friends and lawyers have filed a fundamental human rights enforcement at the federal high court on Wednesday, 11 of September,2024. But till date again, the Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has refused to withdrawal trump up charges against peaceful protesters. Instead, he chose to clamp comrade Daniel in chains and dump him in the dungeon of the IRT and gleefully jet off to Mexico to attend the International Bar Conference, a gathering of Chief Law Officers of Countries, whereas at home, the country’s Attorney general has little or no regard for the Constitution of the country or the Provisions as enshrined therein. The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court as also refused to assign the case to a judge.
We recall that in March of 2020, it was the same Prince Fagbemi SAN, then as Lawyer to the then deposed Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, had taken strong exception to the illegal detention of the deposed Emir by the then government of Kano state under Abdullahi Ganduje, and had expressly filled motion ex parte for the release of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on 13/3/20;
It was assigned by the Chief Judge on 13/3/20;
Taken to Chikere J. on 13/3/20;
Argued by the lawyer on 13/3/20;
Ruling was ordered, and Sanusi’s release was delivered on 13/3/20;
C-T-C of release Order processed and served on 13/3/20.
Consequently, Sanusi was released on SAME 13/3/20.
Lateef Fagbemi SAN was Sanusi’s lawyer then!!!
Today, the same Lateef Fagbemi SAN has become suddenly repugnant to Rule of Law. How unfortunate.
We therefore unequivocally demand that Akande Daniel and all Protesters arraigned on trumped up charges by the Nigeria government be released with immediate effect.
The Nigerian government cannot continue to put millions of Nigerians into abject poverty and expect the suffering Citizenry and Activists not to react, but to continue to look helplessly.
We wish to point out to the government, that Nigerians will continue to stand up against the anti poor Policies until the Tinubu’s administration makes an end implementing the poverty -ridden, neo liberal Policies that are responsible for mass misery amongst the people.
We therefore once again use this medium to call on change-seeking Elements to join us to demand an end to the mass arrests, repressions and unjust incarceration of Nigerians for defending their Democratic Rights. We call on Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and other social movements to stand against attempts by this administration to put Nigerians in chains for and in fear of defending our Democratic Rights. “The Labours of our Heroes past, will never be in vain”.
Signed;
Salako Kayode , Southern Coordinator
Iortyom Moses , Northern Coordinator
