Group Accuses President Buhari’s Administration Of Restricting Civil Right

The President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has been condemned by a coalition of 51 civil society organizations for restricting civil right.

The reaction is coming in respect to the arrest and detention of Omoyele Sowore, the convener of ‘Revolution Now’ movement and the protesting members of the movement.

The coalition in a statement released to journalists in Abuja expressed disappointment at the method employed by the federal government to tackle people opposing the style of governance by the Buhari-led administration.

The coalition group made up of 51 registered CSOs called for the immediate release of Sowore and the protesters.

The statement released reads, “We wonder why a government which recently had its mandate renewed for another four years would not commit to expanding democratic space for debates and arguments particularly with its critics.”

The coalition further picked holes in harassment of the media and CSOs, the ban on protests and also urged the federal government to be cautious “of arbitrary misuse of power against the citizens for a non-violent protest and demonstration to express their views.”.

The statement was signed by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, Centre for Democratic Research and Training, CRDDERT and Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC.

Others included Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, Public Interest Lawyers League, PILL, Partners for West Africa – Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project, SERAP, Falana Falana Chambers and a host of others.