By Nwafor Sunday
As Nigeria braces for nationwide protests slated for Monday, 7 April 2025, Amnesty International has called on authorities to uphold the rights of citizens to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, urged security agencies to respect the constitutional and international rights of demonstrators and cautioned against any form of repression or intimidation.
“The Nigerian authorities must ensure that security agencies respect and facilitate the right to peaceful protest, as guaranteed by both the country’s own constitution and international human rights treaties,” Sanusi stated.
“Government officials must also refrain from issuing rhetoric aimed at demonizing protesters and stifling peaceful dissent.”
The protests are being organized in response to what civil society groups describe as an escalating clampdown on freedom of expression, particularly through the alleged misuse of the Cybercrimes Act to silence dissent.
In a statement signed by Michael Christian, Social Media and Communications Officer at Amnesty International Nigeria, the organization warned against any attempts by the government to use the protests as a pretext to suppress civil liberties.
“Authorities must not use the proposed nationwide protests as a ploy to crack down on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” Christian said. “Any act capable of undermining freedom of assembly is illegal and portrays unacceptable intolerance of peaceful dissent.”
Amnesty International stressed that the planned protests offer a crucial opportunity for the Nigerian government to demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles and human rights.
“Authorities must show a commitment to upholding the country’s constitutional and international human rights obligations by allowing people to freely exercise their rights,” the organization reiterated.
The Nigerian Constitution, along with international agreements such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, protects the rights to free expression, peaceful assembly, and association.
Organizers of the Monday protests say they will proceed peacefully, demanding reforms, accountability, and respect for civil liberties in Nigeria.
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