NPF: Nothing has changed in Nigeria, says Amb Steve Nwose By Ifeoma Ikem
The convener, Speak Up Nigeria, Amb. Steve Nwose, has condemned the attack on protesters across the nation by the Nigeria police.
Protesters were attacked by the police on Tuesday during a peaceful, one-year anniversary protest in commemoration of last year’s Endsars protests.
Amb Steve, noted that police attacks and brutality on victims have actually shown that Nigeria security agencies failed to learn lessons from the #EndSars incident of last year.
“Just on the 16th of October, a video clip went viral from Kogi state, where a police officer attacked, extorted money from, and assaulted a passenger, in a bus full of youth who were travelling.
“That hardly showed a good image of the country and, sadly, nothing has changed with the Nigeria police force.
“When will police attack and brutality stop? he asked.
“Government needs to act fast to change the bad image the force has given the nation.
“We in the diaspora find it difficult when we try to defend some reports of activities coming from our dear country”.
He described as unfortunate, the recent attacks during the peaceful memorial protests, saying that this shows that President Buhari’s promise to reform the police in the wake of the #EndSARS protest last year, has remained unfulfilled.
Amb. Nwose, explained that Nigeria is a democratic country, and that under it’s 1990 constitution (as amended), freedom of association and freedom of movement are some of the fundamental human rights guaranteed Nigerian citizens..
“It accords the people the right to stage peaceful protests, especially when drawing government officials’ attention to their duties and the expectations of citizens from them, which is legitimate”, he stated.
