Civil rights activist and legal expert, Dele Farotimi, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Police and judiciary for their treatment of peaceful protests, accusing them of undermining the country’s democratic principles. Farotimi’s remarks, made during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, paint a grim picture of Nigeria’s democratic status, with the activist claiming the country is merely “pretending” to practice democracy.
In his passionate defence of citizens’ rights, Farotimi expressed his deep discontent over the government’s restrictive stance on protests. He emphasised that, “In a democracy, there should never be a need for a police permit before you may have a protest. The police should be informed so they can provide security, not to grant permission. That a court would curtail the right of citizens to protest peacefully in a democracy suggests we are not truly in one.”
Farotimi’s comments followed a recent protest in Abuja, led by activist Omoyele Sowore and other #FreeNnamdiKanu campaigners, calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The demonstration, which defied police warnings and a court order, ended with security forces dispersing protesters with tear gas.
Farotimi argued that the notion of needing police permission for peaceful demonstrations is “completely unheard of” in a democratic society. “It is ridiculous that citizens need permission from their paid public servants to congregate peacefully,” he said, sharply criticising the Nigerian Police for stifling the very freedoms they are supposed to uphold.
In addition to his critique of the police, Farotimi also took aim at the judiciary, accusing it of compromising its independence. “Our judiciary is unfit for purpose. It does exactly as it is told by the executive and does not serve the cause of justice,” he lamented, further stressing that the law’s usefulness is directly tied to its lawfulness.
Reiterating his belief in the right to peaceful assembly, Farotimi stated that only individuals engaging in violent behaviour should face arrest during protests, not those exercising their constitutional rights. Drawing on his own personal experience, he spoke of being prosecuted under a “non-existent law,” which, according to him, highlights the dysfunction within the Nigerian legal system.
Farotimi also expressed his frustration over the government’s indifference to public outcry, especially in light of past protests. Reflecting on the 2020 #EndSARS movement, he noted that the government’s response – renaming the notorious police unit from SARS to SWAT, and then to RRS – had not resulted in any real change. “End SARS, they changed the name to SWAT; today it is RRS. It is the character and nature that have not changed. The Nigerian state does not change anything for anybody,” he said.
The activist concluded by lamenting that, despite the vocal protests and demands from citizens, the Nigerian state remains indifferent, describing it as “deaf” to the cries of the people. Farotimi’s remarks serve as a sharp critique of the Nigerian government’s stance on civil liberties and the suppression of democratic freedoms, raising important questions about the state of democracy in the country.
