By Olalekan Awojodu
Abuja
A Rights group, the Advocates for People’s Rights & Justice (APRJ) has condemned the deployment of men of the Nigerian Army against peaceful and harmless EndSARS protesters in Lagos, Edo, Ondo, Abia States and other parts of the country by the Nigerian government.
In a statement signed by Giwa Victor, the group described the deployment of members of the Nigerian Army to attack peaceful EndSARS protesters who are exercising their rights of demanding an end to oppression, injustice and impunity in the country as unfair, unlawful, wrongful, illegal and equally unjust.
The statement partly reads:”The constitutionally recognized authority to be deployed in circumstances of ‘peaceful civil protests’ like we have now is the Nigeria Police Anti-riot officials.
“These are the personnel who have the technical training and requisite skills to intervene in situations as these, and not men of the Nigerian Army whose duties as provided for under Section 217 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, (as amended) do not in any way include attacking, and shooting at peaceful protesters during protest,”
We also condemn in clear terms, the destruction, plundering and vandalization of public properties and facilities by hoodlums who are seeking to hijack the protest to perpetrate their atrocious acts.
The group has therefore called for an end to oppression, intimidation, injustice and impunity in Nigeria,asking for a society where peace, justice, fairness and equality thrive and one where citizens’ rights are guaranteed and fully protected.
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