The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticized the Federal Government for purportedly supporting counter demonstrations to oppose the planned peaceful protests by some discontented Nigerians against governance issues in the country.
Expressing their concerns, the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Uzodinma, highlighted that “it is an embarrassing display that the government, which denounces protests against bad governance, is now financing demonstrations against those advocating an end to bad governance.”
“The lack of logic in this action is quite evident,” the group emphasized.
HURIWA pointed out that the alleged hiring of fake protesters by Federal Government officials in the capital city, at a reported cost of N3,000 per person, is a worrying sign of governance failure.
Furthermore, the group found it absurd that a Lagos State High Court issued an order against certain defendants designated by the Lagos State Government, including ‘unknown protesters’ or individuals labeled as ‘unknown persons’, preventing them from conducting protests outside approved areas.