Amnesty International has warned that President Bola Tinubu government was going too far in it’s repressive efforts to gag dissenting voices, condemning the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, by operatives of Department of State Service, DSS.
Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi in a statement on Monday, said: “We have received disturbing report of the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of SERAP by operatives of DSS. President Tinubu is going too far in his government’s repressive efforts to gag dissenting voices.
“The government of President Tinubu should immediately instruct the DSS to stop their harassment and intimidation of SERAP and any other civil society groups in Nigeria simply for carrying out their legitimate work.
“Nigerian authorities must end their escalating crackdown on civic space and independent human rights groups in the country, including through harassment, intimidation, and threats.
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“The invasion of SERAP’s office by the DSS sends a chilling signal and prevent human rights organizations from carrying out their essential work to promote and protect human rights and accountability in the country.
“Nigerian authorities must uphold their constitutional and international human rights obligations including with respect to the rights to freedom of expression and association and end the growing impunity for violations of human rights in the country.
“The invasion shows that Nigerian authorities are prepared to go to extreme lengths to stifle independent scrutiny and criticism in clear violation of constitutional guarantees. This must stop.
“Nigeria’s international and regional partners should press the authorities to uphold the human rights of those who defend the rights of others, journalists and civil society groups in the country.”
