Following the arrest of the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, Nastura Shariff, a Civil Society Organization, CSO, Concerned Nigerians, CN, has expressed displeasure over his arrest by the Police Force.
The Concerned Nigerians, CN, has, therefore, demanded for his immediate release from detention.
Comrade Deji Adeyanju, Convener of Concerned Nigerians, in a statement issued on Wednesday condemned the attitude of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government for arresting those who criticized his inability to decisively deal with armed bandits that have been unleashing terror on innocent souls in various communities leading to loss of lives and destruction of property in the country.
He noted that the federal government and the Police Force have been intolerant on citizens who have constitutional rights to lawfully expressed their feelings and hold government officials accountable where they failed to constitutionally discharge their responsibilities.
Recall that Nastura Shariff was arrested on Tuesday in Katsina by the Police over a protest against the rising attacks and killings in the state and the entire northern region by armed bandits.
It is reported that Nastura Shariff led the protesters called on the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari and President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over their inability to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians in the North.
The Concerned Nigerians noted, “We are greatly worried that the President is arresting critics of his sheer incompetence in the handling of security situations in the North instead of the bandits killing Nigerians.”
It advised that the President should arrest the bandits and not patriotic citizens speaking up against the gross incompetence of the government, saying that a government that negotiates and begs bandits cannot be arresting critics.
The group suggested that the President needs to show leadership and stop arresting those criticizing him, reminding that Nigerians are in a democracy and the system of government gives the citizens the right and freedom to hold elected public officials accountable.
According to the statement, if the President can’t tolerate dissents, then, he should be courageous enough to resign, pointing out that freedom of assembly is one of the most fundamental rights of the citizens in a democracy.
The statement explained,”We are solidly behind Nastura Shariff, and we call on the Nigerian government to release him immediately from detention.”
The statement noted that all the energy being expended by the Police in arresting Mr. Nastura Shariff and other protesters on Tuesday in Katsina should be channelled into taming the monstrous bandits terrorizing the people of the state and other parts of North.
