Prominent human rights advocate, Femi Falana, issued a statement on Tuesday cautioning participants in the nationwide hunger protest to remain vigilant against potential infiltration by “undemocratic forces” seeking to exploit the movement to advocate for a military coup in Nigeria.
This warning follows an incident in Kano State on Sunday, where protesters were observed waving Russian flags and chanting anti-government slogans in Hausa.
While reaffirming the constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly, as guaranteed by sections 39 and 40 of the constitution, Falana emphasized the importance of distancing the protest movement from undemocratic elements. He stated, “We uphold the right of #EndBadGovernance protesters to peaceful assembly, but we also have a civic responsibility to urge them to disavow any association with undemocratic forces that have sought to capitalize on the protests to incite violence or promote a military coup in Nigeria.
“It has become necessary to point out that calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia, a country known for supporting unconstitutional changes of government in Africa, constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria.
“The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for an unconstitutional change of government.”
The legal practitioner further warned “those involved in the illegal campaign for another military rule,” adding that “they may be accused of engaging in the offence of treasonable felony in contravention of section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.”
Falana urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to “review the neoliberal policies promoting poverty and hardship in the country,” which he said would “make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive” to Nigerians.
He cited, for instance, that the “Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited should negotiate lower prices for petroleum products since the Federal Executive Council has directed that 445,000 barrels of crude oil be allocated daily and sold to the Dangote Refinery in naira.”
In late July 2024, the President directed the NNPC to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other upcoming refineries in naira.
This was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who stated that the move would ensure the stability of the pump price of refined fuel and the dollar-naira exchange rate.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, after a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by the President at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday, noted that it was a “treasonable offence” to display Russian flags in Nigeria.
He added that the Nigerian military would not accept such acts.
