The presidency has called former vice president Atiku Abubakar’s comments on his X handle over the security agencies handling of the #EndBadGovernance protests in the country as “absurd”
Atiku warned security agencies on his handle against using lethal force against looters and arsonists who masqueraded as protesters.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga in a statement said a statesman, Atiku’s warning ought to be to the looting mobs in Kaduna ,Kano, Plateau, and Jigawa states, who hijacked what was advertised by organizers as a peaceful protest.
“Our security forces have remained professional, even-handed, and observed every restraint in the face of extreme provocation by the rioters. We are surprised that Alhaji Atiku is still relying on Section 40 of our constitution (as amended) to justify a protest that is now clearly a riot, a rampage in some parts of the country.”
According to Onanuga, section 45 of the constitution says the right of assembly and the right of freedom of expression are not absolute, adding that they can be abridged and fettered in the interest of public peace, public safety, law, and order.
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He said the Service Chiefs reiterated the rights of Nigerians to protest and gather freely and also reinforced their constitutional duty, when they said they can not sit by idly and watch hoodlums destroy the country and its democracy.
“The Service Chiefs and the officers and men of our security outfits should be commended for their patriotic duty to our country.”
The special adviser accused the former vice president of supporting and enabling destructive ‘protests’,
” Alhaji Atiku certainly wants the sinister protest to continue despite the red signals from the streets.”
He said a message that condones the destruction of private and public property and investments of citizens is unbecoming of a former vice president of Nigeria and encouraged him to borrow a leaf from opposition figures in United Kingdom who have rallied behind the government to condemn the ongoing riots there.
(Editor: Oloyede Oworu)
