CDHR endorses nationwide protests, urges public participation

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Osun State has called on its members and the general public to participate in the nationwide protests scheduled to hold through the first 10 days of August, 2024.

In a statement released on Wednesday, state chairman of CDHR, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, announced that the committee’s decision to join the protest aligns with the directives from the organization’s national leadership.

Olowu emphasized that peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right recognized by both international and local laws. He highlighted the legal basis for this right, citing Article 21 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Chapter IV of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

While urging Nigerians to hold their elected officials accountable at all levels of government, the organization outlined several key issues it aims to address through the protests, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, hikes in electricity tariffs, excessive taxes on both formal and informal sectors, increases in tuition fees, and hyperinflation.

CDHR also called on security operatives to act professionally and prevent violence and destruction during the protests.

Stating that the demands of the protests are issues of national concern, the organization condemned attempts to describe the demonstrations as being sponsored by ethnic bias and political affiliations.

The statement concluded by acknowledging the recent efforts of government to restructure the country and alleviate mass suffering, such as the progress in local government autonomy and signing of the new minimum wage into law.