TheCable

Some Nigerians took to the streets in the federal capital territory (FCT), on Thursday, to demand the release of Anene Victor and Emmanuel Larry, two men who were arrested for protesting against President Muhammadu Buhari in Kogi state.

In a viral video on April 5, the duo, who were holding “Buhari must go” posters, were seen being flogged by youths in the state for their demonstration.

The police eventually secured a remand order after secretly arraigning the men before a magistrate in his office, despite the nationwide strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Condemning the continued detention of the men, some of the protesters displayed banners with the inscription “Yahaya Bello, Where is Emmanuel Larry?”.

One of the activists, who spoke on behalf of other demonstrators, said the continued detention of the protesters is a violation of their right to freedom of expression.

“We are here to protest the continuous shrinking of the civil space, the lack of respect for citizenship and the total disregard for the rule of law,” he said.

“It will interest us to know that young Nigerians were arrested for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression by pasting posters to condemn the level of maladministration in the country, the level of corruption and insecurity, and the level of human right abuses and the complete anarchy that has descended into the country.

“What manner of impunity is that? The judiciary workers are on strike today and their strike is based on their demand for financial autonomy which is important to dispense justice. Aside from the impunity of the government, they are comfortable that the courts have been shut. In fact, if they had the opportunity, they would have shut down the courts a long time ago.

“We are gathered to ask the Nigerian government to free these two comrades unconditionally.”

Meanwhile, Benjamin Omeiza, lawyer to the two men, who spoke with TheCable on Thursday, said one of the protesters is critically ill.

“I got a call from chief Femi Falana briefing me that one of them is critically sick at the moment,” Omeiza said.

“But there is little we can do because prison officials don’t grant bail to detainees. Only the court can do so.

“The only thing we can do now is to go and see them and take some medications for them.”