Pro-human rights lawyers have written to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja, warning against deploying soldiers against planned August 1 nationwide protests.
They insisted it’s the duty of the police, not the army to maintain internal security arguing deploying soldiers against protesters could worsen the situation, which they said could lead to a repeat of what happened during the ENDSARS protests in 2020.
Written on behalf of the group and in support of organisers of the protesters from the chamber of Deji Adeyanju and Partners, they described the situation where soldiers have already been deployed to strategic locations as worrisome and disturbing.
The letter which was signed by an Abuja-based lawyer and rights activist Deji Adeyanju stressed that, “The task of providing internal security, including the protection of protesters during the scheduled protest, lies with the Nigerian Police Force and not the Nigerian Army.
“You may also recall that at all times when the armed forces intervened in any protest, including the recent ongoing Kenya protest, such protest often escalated into full-blown riot leading to loss of lives and property.”
They urged Lagbaja to withdraw his “men back to the barracks as we do not want a repeat of soldiers killing protesters as was witnessed during EndSARS.”
The August 1 protests are being organised by aggrieved Nigerians over what they said is hardship and lack of responsibility from the government.
Although the federal government has called for restraints and recently patience, they have vowed to press ahead with the protests as that’s the only way the government would listen and act.