Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has thrown its weight behind a series of protests by Nigerian citizens from different parts of Northern Nigeria.
HURIWA expressed solidarity and absolute support to those it described as heroes of democracy mostly in the northern part of the country.
The group wondered why Nigerian security agencies were always in a rush to block protesters voicing out their democratic opinion regarding the state of security and other national issues.
“What they are doing is Constitutional, legal and permissible under democracy. This is because under a constitutional democracy, the people are the owners of the sovereignty of the state,” HURIWA said.
“The constitution in section one is best called the grundnorm or the supreme law that is binding on all authorities and persons which means that the provisions of the constitution are inviolable, non-negotiable and therefore the primary duty of government as provided for by the constitution which is to protect its citizens and their properties is non contestable and absolutely obligatory on government of Nigeria of every level.
“So whereby the government has failed to discharge this aforementioned primary duty as adumbrated by constitutional provisions, the people are obliged to protest peacefully and numerous sections are provided in chapter 4 of the constitution which made peaceful assembly constitutionally guaranteed.
“Therefore it is unconstitutional for any security agency or agencies no matter whatsoever called as long as they are recognized by the statutes which are lesser legislations than the constitution. They are not allowed to violate the constitutional freedom of the citizen from exercising their fundamental right to peaceful assembly.
“So the DSS, the police amongst other agencies must stop attacking protesters,” it stated.
HURIWA said this while regretting the actions of the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force who recently drove protesters off the streets of Katsina.
Recall that protesters had trooped to the streets of Katsina to protest the spate of killings in the State and other parts of the country.
Just some days ago, one of the conveners of a similar protest in Kano, backed down after an invitation from the DSS.
And HURIWA, in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the actions of the DSS and Police were clear breaches of the Constitution and must be resisted.
