Irked by the arrest of #OccupyLekkiTollGate protesters, a former presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, Saturday called on the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Police Force to release protesters demanding for good governance, noting that he would rather have a peaceful protesters than bandits with AK 47.
Disclosing this via his verified Twitter handle, Adamu condemned the harassment and arrest of protesters, saying that the law permits them the right to peaceful protest.
His words: “In as much as the #EndSARS protesters are not blocking the way for other citizens to move along the #Lekkitollgate, the law permits them the right to peaceful protest.
“After all, that’s a tenet of democracy which we practice. All arrested protesters should be released immediately.
“The more reasonably engaged in citizens right to action by the authorities, the better the chances of having them on the side of the Govt.
“The more distance the authorities portrayed, the more hoodlums take advantage and inflame their ambers for evil.
“It’s all about empathy. If for any reason, an iota of violence is detected from them, the authorities should quickly mobilize and disperse them.
“But as long as protesters claimed to be peaceful, we should give them their right to protest and protect them against possible hoodlums hijacking the protest.
“When will we ever learn in Nigeria? Is it not better for people to express themselves in a protest than hide behind any extreme motive to seek justice?
“I would rather have a peaceful protester than a bandit with AK 47. If #EndSARS protesters promises to be peaceful, let them be.”
VANGUARD
