Chimaobi Sam Atu, the House of Representatives member for Enugu North/South Constituency, has called on the federal government to release all detained #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters.
The Labour Party representative condemned the ongoing detention of individuals involved in the August hunger protests, labeling it as illegal.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Atu emphasized that the right to protest is enshrined in the constitution and must be upheld in a democratic society. He urged the government to either bring the detained protesters to court or release them unconditionally.
“The continued detention of individuals who peacefully protested is unacceptable,” Atu declared via his X handle. “Everyone has the right to peaceful protest. These detainees across the country should either be released immediately or given their day in court.”
Atu assured that the House of Representatives will address the issue upon its return from recess on September 17. “We are currently on break but will address this matter as soon as we reconvene,” he added.
According to Amnesty International, approximately 1,000 hunger protesters have been arrested and detained across Nigeria.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor Forum, following their recent meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State, has also demanded the release of the detained protesters. The opposition governors attributed the August hunger protests to the economic difficulties stemming from President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and criticized the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration for exacerbating the country’s hardships.
