Buhari knows those causing unrest in Nigeria……..Falana

Activist lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) on Monday said the government of President Muhammadu Buhari knows those causing unrest in the country and should go after them.

He spoke at the Coalition for Revolution’s (CORE) working consultative assembly themed “Democracy, state repression and the state of insecurity in Nigeria,” held at the Lagos Centre, Oregun.

The event which was billed to start at 11 am did not commence as scheduled following obstruction by policemen said to have barricaded the venue and allegedly arrested three persons.

Condemning the alleged arrest as well as that of Omoyele Sowore and other #RevolutionNow protesters, Falana said the federal government should deploy security forces to tackle terrorism, banditry kidnapping and other crimes that breach public peace and not protesters.

He said: “Our right to assembly and associate peacefully in the country is constitutional. I want to assure you that we are going to ensure that all the rights of Nigerian people that we have fought for and won will not be allowed to be eroded by any regime in this country.

“When we were told that we will not be allowed to meet, my mind went back 30-years-ago when we had the Buhari, Babangida and other juntas. We defeated the regimes and I want to assure you all that any other dictator will not be allowed to raise their head again in Nigeria.

“I heard that about three persons have been arrested. But I want to assure you that after the programme, I will demand for their release because they have not committed any offence. I want to assure you that all those that were arrested and charged during the #RevolutionNow for unlawful assembly and peace will be given adequate defense at the court of law.

The President Muhammadu Buhari led administration knows those that are breaching the peace of the country- terrorist, armed robbers, coup plotters and others.

“Those who went to the street to protest in exercise of their right to assembly and complain against injustice, corruption and maladministration in the country cannot be said to have breached the law of the country.

“Therefore, the man (Sowore) who was arrested and detained before the protest will be adequately defended at the law court. This is because he has committed no offense.”

Falana reminded the gathering how Nigerians fought for their rights even under the colonial era, recalling how nationalists like Chief Anthony Enahoro chaired lectures organised on the need for revolution.

“So, let the authority in Abuja know that the call for revolution is not new in Nigeria. Political leaders in this country have over time called for revolution and they have never been arrested and prosecuted. If there is a mistake now, such must be corrected. This country belongs to all of us.

“Before today, they claimed that we must not engage in any activity on the street. We are trying to gather inside the hall, they claimed that we cannot do that. But because of our resolve, we won.