Democratic Socialist Movement

For Struggle, Solidarity and Socialism in Nigeria

By - DSM

#EndBadGovernance Protesters – Local and International Protests Call for End of Sham Trial and Dropping of Charges

Protest actions were held again in Nigeria and the UK on Wednesday January 29 in continuation of local and international campaigns over the unjust detention and trial of #EndBadGovernance protesters as well as increasing attacks on democratic rights in Nigeria. The campaign had earlier forced the government, through the courts, to release many detainees, including minors, though in most cases on bail with stringent conditions while some others had the charges against them dropped.

It should be recalled that mass protests were held across Nigeria last year over mass hunger and economic hardship compounded by the anti-poor neo-liberal capitalist policies of the Bola Tinubu government. Fearful that these #EndBadGovernance protests could get a big response the government decided to firmly clamp down on the protests. Tinubu is very aware that less than 9 million voted for him in 2019 in a country of over 230 million.

Protesting outside the Abuja courthouse on January 29

However, it is not yet a total freedom for all those who have been released. For instance, Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others, who regained freedom on bail after languishing for about two months in the police and prison custodies, are facing trumped-up charges including treason, which carries a death penalty, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Hence, the chief demand of the campaign at present is for the government to end the sham trial by withdrawing the trumped-up charges. On Tuesday, January 28, the Kano State government dropped similar charges against protesters being tried at the State High Court. The campaigners demand that the Federal Government, which prosecutes Michael Lenin and 10 others, and other state governments also follow suit .

Kano state is governed by an opposition party, the NNPP. It is possible that it withdrew the charges in order to appear to the working masses as being different from the APC/Tinubu led Federal Government. For the Tinubu government, the trial is being used as a deterrent to any form of serious opposition against its anti-poor neo-liberal policies. Therefore, the campaign has to be sustained and strident to force the government to withdraw the charges.

Therefore, it was good and correct that the campaigners went ahead with the solidarity protest despite having been aware a day earlier that the trial would not be held again on January 29 as scheduled. That was the second time the commencement of the trial had been postponed – the first being November 8. The new date is March 26.

January 29 ‘Treason’ trial protest outside the Nigerian High Commission in London

In Abuja, civil society activists held a protest at the Federal High Court Abuja where Michael and others stand trial. Members of Socialist Party (CWI England and Wales) and Nigeria Solidarity UK were at the Nigerian High Commission in London for a solidarity protest. Also, many branches of the Socialist Party in England and Wales also held different solidarity actions as did comrades of the Socialist Party Scotland (CWI Scotland). Earlier, on Monday January 27, Youth Rights Campaign – a campaign group of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) – held a press conference and protest in Lagos.

In all the protest actions, in addition to calling for dropping of charges against activists on trial and release of all those still in detention, the demands also include an end to increasing attack on democratic rights and the reversal of the anti-poor policies which have caused a serious fall in the living standards for the vast majority.