THE ARREST OF COMRADE MOSHOOD OSHUNFUREWA, MR MC MACARONI AND OVER 11 OTHERS IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
SPN demands their immediate and unconditional release!!
The Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN condemns the harassment and arrest of Comrade Moshood Oshunfurewa, Mr MC Macaroni, a popular comedian, and 11 others protesters by the Nigeria police at the instance of both the Buhari-led federal government and Lagos state government, and demands their immediate and unconditional release.
Comrade Moshood Oshunfurewa, Lagos State Secretary of SPN and a leading member of Democratic Socialist Movement, DSM and 12 others were arrested in early hour of today, Saturday, 13th of February, 2021 at Lekki tollgate where they had gathered for a peaceful protest. The protest was triggered by a ruling of Justice Okuwobi-led Lagos state judicial panel on restitution for victims of SARS and the Lekki shooting of October 20, 2020 during the #EndSARS protest that rocked the entire country for 10 days before it was repressed by the Nigeria state.
The panel ruled that the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, should regain the procession of Lekki toll gate plaza for operation and collection of toll. This according to the panel will allow the company to make insurance claim for the repair of the facilities damaged at the plaza during the #ENDSARS protest.
Asides from the fact that the issues surrounding the killing and shooting which led to the closure of the tollgate plaza are yet to be resolved is also necessary to note that the decision of the panel suggests that the human lives lost at the toll gate during the shooting are not as precious and valuable as the revenue loss being experienced at the toll gate plaza since its closure following the shooting. Moreover, the decision of the panel to return the possession of the LCC is also capable of undermining the demands for justice by Nigerians for the victims of the Lekki shooting which is part of the main reason the panel was set up in the first instance.
It is in the light of this, the SPN demands the reversal of the panel decision; expresses its support for the repressed #OCCUOPYLEKKITOLL GATE# peaceful protest called to prevail on the panel to reverse its unfair decision and holds that the arrest of Comrade Mushood Oshunfurewa and 12 others who sought to participate in the peaceful protest by the Nigeria police is unconstitutional and unlawful.
The rights of every Nigerian to peaceful assembly, protest including association among others is fully guaranteed in the section 39 and 40 of the 1999 constitution as amended. Hence we reiterate our demands for their immediate and unconditional release and also calls on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, including their affiliates to also condemn the unjust arrest and prevail on the Buhari-led government and Lagos State government for their immediate and unconditional release and to end attacks on democratic rights which have become the feature of Buhari-led government.
Abiodun Bamigboye Chinedu Bosah
Acting National Chairperson National Secretary
Website: www.socialistpartyofnigeria.org.ng
E-mail: [email protected]