BEVERLY HILL, August 09, (THEWILL) – The Senate has condemned the police over its use of force and brutal attack on a group of protesters campaigning against the medical vacation of President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the upper legislative chamber described the action of the police as a violation of the fundamental human rights of the protesters, stressing that they did not disturb public peace during the rally.
“It is not right for the police to brutalise the people as they reportedly did yesterday,” the statement read.
“While we are opposed to the subject of the protest, the Senate acknowledges the fact that the protesters have the constitutional right to gather and express their views in a manner that will not breach public peace, order and tranquillity.
“Since the ‘Our-Mumu-Don-Do’ protesters did not conduct themselves in such a manner as to disturb public peace, it is not right for the police to brutalise the people as they reportedly did yesterday.
“The police should review their rules of engagement and ensure that they are in line with that of modern democratic societies. The rights of the people should not be violated by the police employed to protect these rights.
“Where the police suspect that hoodlums are trying to hijack the protest, it is the duty of the police to apprehend the hoodlums and those who break the law rather than generalise and thus brutalise innocent protesters.”
The Senate, however, urged the organisers of the protest to join other Nigerians in praying for the safe return of President Buhari.
“They should note that any mortal being can find himself in the situation where one needs medical attention and more time to fully recuperate, the statement added.”
“More so, when in the present case, the President complied with the provisions of the Constitution and all organs of government are not impaired nor hindered by his medical vacation.”
THEWILL recalls that the protesters, under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo, led by Charles Oputa (Charlie Boy) kicked off the protest in Abuja on Monday demanding Buhari’s immediate return to the country or his resignation, following his absence from the country for about 95 days for medical reasons.
However, the Police, claiming that the protest was hijacked by miscreants, descended on the protesters on Tuesday with use of tear gas, flogging them and smashing journalists’ cameras in the process.
