The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for an immediate end to alleged police harassment against innocent citizens, particularly in some areas of Lagos.
HURIWA’s appeal comes in response to reports of plans to charge some state indigenes over a family land dispute. The association argued that it is not the responsibility of the police to settle such disputes.
Recently, HURIWA urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate allegations of unlawful demolitions reportedly carried out by armed hoodlums accompanied by police officers.
The association stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all parties involved in the dispute.
Regarding the planned protest on August 1, HURIWA cautioned the police against exhibiting brutality on the streets. While HURIWA does not take a stance for or against the protest, it affirmed that participating in protests is a legitimate right of citizens.
It said, “The police should provide protection to the citizens and not brutalise them. They must avoid inflicting physical torture on Nigerian citizens.”
“If any citizen or group decides to embark on any peaceful gathering, be it protest… we don’t have any position concerning the protest… There’s nothing wrong with citizens expressing their position.”
“We are calling on the police to end the regime of brutality because if a democracy wants to collapse, the fastest negative indicator that will indicate collapse of democracy is police brutality and harassment of citizens like the case we’ve just discussed.”
“The life of every Nigerian should matter to the security forces.”
“No citizen should be subjected to brutality, undue harassment, arbitrary arrest, illegal detention and all sorts of activities that undermine constructional democracy and principle of rule of law and deny citizens constitutional guaranteed fundamental human rights.”
