Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has come under fire for his recent tweet warning security agencies against using lethal force against looters and arsonists masquerading as protesters.
Critics argue that Atiku’s statement is misguided and that he should instead be condemning the violent mobs that have hijacked peaceful protests in several states, including Kaduna, Kano, Plateau, and Jigawa.
This was made known in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday.
Security forces have been praised for their professionalism and restraint in the face of extreme provocation, and many have pointed out that the Nigerian constitution allows for limitations on the right to assembly and freedom of expression in the interest of public peace and safety, according to Peoples Gazette.
Atiku’s tweet has been seen as condoning the destruction of property and investments, and prioritizing his own interests over the stability of the country. Opposition figures in the UK have been cited as an example of how to respond to similar situations, rallying behind the government to condemn riots and call for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
The criticism comes as tensions continue to rise across the country, with many calling for leaders to take a stronger stance against violence and destruction.
Onanuga said Atiku’s tweet was “absurd” and that as a statesman, he should have warned the looting mob instead.
Onanuga stated, “We are surprised that Alhaji Atiku is still relying on Section 40 of our constitution (as amended) to justify a protest that is now clearly a riot, a rampage in some parts of the country.”
He added, “Section 45 of the constitution says the right of assembly and the right of freedom of expression are not absolute. They can be abridged and fettered in the interest of public peace, public safety, law, and order.”
Onanuga commended the Service Chiefs and security personnel for their “patriotic duty” in maintaining law and order. He accused Atiku of enabling the destructive protests and said his tweet was “unbecoming of a former vice president.”
Onanuga suggested that Atiku should have put the country’s stability ahead of his personal interests and cited the example of opposition figures in the UK who have condemned the ongoing riots and called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
He said, “Such nationalistic temperament as displayed by opposition figures like Rishi Sunak, the immediate-past Prime Minister of UK is expected of Alhaji Atiku
