By Ozumi Abdul

Centre For Information Technology And Development (CITAD) on Friday drew the attention of the Nigerian security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police force for what it regarded as the police continued arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens for exercising their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

While speaking during a press conference in Kano State, the organization’s program officer Mallam Ali Sabo said It is important to state clearly that section (IV) sub section (c) of the Nigerian constitutions has prohibits any security agency from unlawful arrest, incarceration or detention of the citizens without following due process.

He noted that what the country is witnessing today is totally in contrast with what the constitution stated, the act he said if not properly checked would throw the country into a lawless anarchical state.

“Gentlemen of the press what we are witnessing today in Nigeria is clearly contrary to what the Nigerian constitution has provided and these acts by the Nigerian security agencies if not checked and addressed will flung the country into anarchy and will negate the principles of democracy which is being practiced in Nigeria enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended”.

Sabo recalled that in the months of November and December of 2022, CITAD organized a press conference which he said was geared towards reminding the authority of the negative implications the unlawful arrests of citizen by security agents portend, and also recalling that in the month of November of 2022, a 500 level student of Federal University of Dutse, Aminu Adamu was arrested by the police on the order of the First Lady for exercising his fundamental rights.

Sabo said in the months of November and December we drew the attention of the Nigerian authorities about the negative implications of these arbitrary arrests and detentions of the citizens to the country’s image in the comity of nations .

“Gentlemen of the press, you may recalled that in the month of November, 2022, the Nigeria Police on the orders of the wife of the president arrested and detained a 500 level student of Federal University, Dutse, Aminu Adamu for merely excising his rights online. He was held for days without being allowed access to his family or his lawyers. Also on the 11th of December, 2022, a minor named Umar Garba was arrested in Nguru Local Government Area, Yobe State over an alleged defamation of character of the Yobe State Governor, Maimala Buni. The boy was held captive by the Nigeria Police for more than two weeks without a court order or any arrest warrant. Similarly, the boy was not taken to court.

“These impunity being excised by the Nigerian politicians has transformed to another level to the extent that citizens are being deprived their fundamental human rights to speak about things that concern them and their country and interrogate their representatives without being harassed by the security agencies. These cases have continued to grow spontaneously as many cases are being reported every day and in every corner of the country which is worrisome and threat to our democracy. Another and more recent case we have received is the arrest and detention of Yau Saeed, a Freelance Journalist and founder of Y2S Online Television based in Yola that was arrested by the Nigeria Police, FCT Command by the order of Senator Elisha Ishiaku Abbo, Senator representing Adamawa North for excising his rights as citizen and journalist since 27th of December, 2022. The most unfortunate thing is that the Nigeria Police has refused the detained journalist access to his wife, lawyers and family.

“These arbitrary arrests of the citizens are against the Nigerian constitution and international covenant of human and people’s rights. Section IV of the Nigerian Constitution has clearly stated that:

i. Any person who is arrested or detained in accordance with section (1) (C) of this section shall be brought before a court of law within reasonable time. The expression of reasonable time under this section means:
a. In case of an arrest or detention in any place where there is court of competent jurisdiction within a radius of 40 kilometres, a period of one day; and
b. In any other case, a period of two days or such longer period as in the circumstances may be considered by the court to be reasonable

It is significant to know that allowing citizens to express themselves and constructively criticize leaders are cardinal to democracy and no democracy can grow where those at the helm of the affairs of the country are using the country’s security agencies to clamp down on dissents and activists”, he said.

He submitted that the collusion between security agencies and politicians to harass and intimidate citizens for freely expressing their opinions is a serious attack to the country’s democracy.

Sabo added that democracy strives by the maintenance of a free market of opinions and availability of information that allow citizens to make informed choices in exercising their civic responsibility.

He added that when journalists are seized, detained, and tortured because they have exposed the dirty underbelly of some politicians.

He quickly reminded the authority it was police brutality that to the 2020 ENDSARS pogrom where many lives and properties were lost, warning that such mistake shouldn’t be allowed to happen again.

“We must also not forget that it was the brazen police brutality that led to the EndSars protest with all its attendance consequences to the nation. We cannot afford to continue to repeat this sad experience. Such illegal and unconstitutional acts and conduct by police and security agencies bread the ground and context for anarchy to set in which is of not good to anybody”.

Sabo then called on Nigeria Police and its sisters’ security agencies to be neural in conducting their duties and should not allow themselves to be used as rent-organizations by politicians to shield their despicable acts and conduct.

He also enjoined security agencies to respect the Digital Right of the citizens as they are the logical and legitimate extension of our fundamental human rights which are protected in our constitution and all the international instruments on human to which Nigeria is a signatory and the country is duty bound to accord the same respect to rights online as rights offline, as well calling on The Nigeria Police to desist fromk arbitrary arrest of the citizens and ensure they are following due process in the arrest and detention of the citizens.