Demands have been made by the Save Public Education Campaign, Nigeria (SPEC) for the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Michael Lennin and several activists who were arrested during the ongoing nationwide protests against bad governance.
Allegations have been raised by the group that Lennin, an advocate for educational rights, and others were taken into custody by security agencies on the 5th of August, 2024.
Condemnation of the incident was expressed strongly in a statement issued by the convener, Comrade Vivian Bello, on Tuesday.
The statement declared, “The Save Public Education Campaign, Nigeria (SPEC), strongly condemns the abduction of Michael Lennin, an educational rights activist, in the early hours of Monday, the 5th of August.”
“Lennin is a dedicated and patriotic individual who has ardently supported access to education for the youth and the masses in Nigeria.”
“As the national coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), a collaborating organization of SPEC, Lennin has played a key role in organizing peaceful mass protests in Abuja, advocating for an end to bad governance in the country.”
“Information received by Save Public Education Campaign, Nigeria, indicates that Michael Lennin, together with activists Mosiu Sodiq and Sankara, were forcefully taken from their residence by security operatives, and have been unreachable since then.”
“The Save Public Education Campaign demands the immediate and unconditional release of Comrade Lennin and the other detained activists.”
“Lennin and his colleagues have not violated any laws, and this unjust abduction and unlawful detention are emblematic of continued state-sponsored suppression of civic expression.”
The group insists that the detainees should either be released or presented in court if there are legitimate charges against them.