Says Attacks on Dissent Voices Have Surpassed Military Dictatorship
- Safiu Kehinde
Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has claimed alleged assaults on civil society and journalists by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration have surpassed the experience under military dictatorship.
Reacting to the arrest of the Nigerian Labour Congress’ (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, and invasion of the Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project Group’s (SERAP) by officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) yesterday, Atiku described the events as disturbing.
He accused the Federal Government of disrupting the nations democratic values in a post on his official X handle on Tuesday.
Atiku further charged Tinubu to redirect the intimidations and oppression of the Nigerian peole on terrorsits and bandtis.
The post read; “The escalating assault on civil society and the media by the Bola Tinubu administration is profoundly disturbing. The level of oppressive control now imposed surpasses even the harshest days of military dictatorship.
“The recent arrest of Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, en route to an official event, epitomizes this regime’s relentless campaign to intimidate and subdue organized labour.
“Just days prior, security forces detained a journalist, only to later claim it was a grievous error. What if the outcome had been fatal?
“Now, Tinubu’s regime extends its repressive grasp to encroach upon
@SERAPNigeria
, an action that stands as a grave affront to our democratic values. This siege is anathema to the principles of freedom and justice.
“It is imperative that Tinubu and his security apparatus redirect their fervour and intimidation towards the actual perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people.”