Amnesty Int’l urges Nigerian govt to respect right to protest

As Nigeria prepares for nationwide protests scheduled for Monday, April 7, 2025, Amnesty International has issued a strong call to the Federal Government to respect the fundamental rights of citizens to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.

In a statement released on Sunday, Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, emphasized the obligation of the authorities to uphold both constitutional and international legal protections for peaceful assembly.

“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by the country’s constitution and international human rights treaties,” Sanusi said.

He also warned against the use of inflammatory rhetoric by government officials that could serve to stigmatize protestors and stifle peaceful dissent.

The protests have been organized by civil society groups in response to what they describe as an increasing clampdown on civic space, particularly through the alleged abuse of the Cybercrimes Act to silence criticism and dissenting voices.

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Amnesty International, through its Social Media and Communications Officer, Michael Christian, urged the government not to use the demonstrations as an excuse to infringe on human rights.

“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crack down on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Christian said. “Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and reflects an unacceptable level of intolerance for peaceful dissent.”

The organization emphasized that the upcoming protests offer a critical opportunity for the Nigerian government to reaffirm its commitment to democratic values and human rights.

“Authorities must demonstrate a willingness to uphold Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations by ensuring that citizens can exercise their rights without fear,” Amnesty International said.

Nigeria is a signatory to several human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

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