The Federal Government on Sunday expressed concern over what it described the double standard of western nations, especially Canada, which supported the EndSARS protests in Nigeria.
While warning against the destruction of the country “in the guise of protests or unbridled freedoms”, the government said citizens should first consider national interest at all times.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, expressed these views during a press briefing which held in his residence in Oro, Kwara State.
He was reacting to the clampdown on protesters by Canada Truckers and declaration of a state of emergency by the Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson.
He said, “I am sure you journalists are watching with keen interest the events unfolding in Canada, where truckers are protesting over COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 restrictions
“The Canadian protesters, who have blockaded roads and resorted to inconveniencing others, have been branded as terrorists or insurrectionists and subjected to a number of clampdowns by government and private organisations.
“The crowd funding company, GoFundMe, has shut down the campaign to raise funds for the truckers, after they raised over $10 million. Twitter has suspended the truckers’ account while the Ontario government has frozen access to millions of dollars donated through online fundraising platform, GiveSendGo, to the protesters.
“Jim Watson, the Mayor of Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, has also declared a state of emergency in the city in response, saying the protests posed a threat to residents’ safety.
“Recall, gentlemen, that during the EndSars protest, which culminated in the blockage of public roads and massive destruction of government and private property, Canada was one of the countries that spoke out in support of the protesters.
“Recall also that Twitter actively supported the EndSars protesters and even helped them to raise fund while GoFundMe was used to raise funds for the protests. These are the same entities that are now rushing to distance themselves from the protesters in Canada and even denying them the use of their platforms.
“This is similar to what played out during the January 6 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington DC where those involved are either still being investigated or have been charged to court. I don’t blame them. Nobody wants their country destroyed under the guise of protests.
“Don’t misunderstand this intervention. We are not gloating over the unfortunate development in Canada. But we are only calling attention to the double standard involved in the way protesters deemed to be violent are perceived in Nigeria and in the West.”
But the Human Right Writers Association of Nigeria on Sunday slammed Mohammed over what the association described as a wrong comparison between the October 2020 EndSARS protest and the Canadian truckers protest.
The National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, made this known in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday.
