From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
An NGO in Benue State, Lawyers Alert (LA), has condemned the hostile disposition of governments and authorities in Nigeria over peaceful assembly.
Speaking on Wednesday during a 1-day meeting with media experts, a Senior Legal Advisor for Lawyers Alert, Barr Victor Eboh said freedom of association is a fundamental human rights and not one that should be contested.
Mr Eboh said the meeting with journalists is a deliberate attempt by the organisation to sensitise and educate both government, security agencies, particularly the police who are the custodian and implementers of the law and the general public about the rights to peaceful assembly.
Also speaking, the Programme Director of Lawyers Alert, Mr Lazarus Mom said the essence of the meeting was to develop and design communication messages to sensitise the people.
Mom said the people have the right to peaceful assembly to peaceful rally and peaceful protest but regretted that these rights have been restricted by authorities.
He disclosed that Lawyers Alert is implementing a project titled “Increasing Civic Rights and Freedom of Peaceful Assembly” funded by CIVICUS, an American based Civil Society Organisation (CSO).
Mr. Mom said Lawyers Alert is committed to engage the government and the security agencies in ensuring a peaceful assembly devoid of embarrassment and harassment.
He assured the government that when the public gather, they do not usually have intention to cause violence or harm to anybody and therefore, advised government and other security agencies to allow and protect the right of the people to gather.
He cited an example where 200 to 600 level medical students at the Benue State University, (BSU), were suspended for one month by the school authorities after embarking on a peaceful protest to government House Makurdi, describing it as pure intimidation.
He advised conveners to ensure that they follow due process before embarking on any peaceful protest to avoid hoodlums hijacking and disrupting their genuine intentions.