Buhari’s freedom for press, criticisms, rule of law acknowleged {SPECIAL REPORT}

By OUR REPORTER, Abuja

“DSS operatives invade SERAP’s office. Buhari, a former military General didn’t do it but the government of a supposed pro-democrat. Welcome to ABACHANISATION of Democracy,” Richard Akinola said.

It has become real that the current administration in Nigeria would be the first ever in over 100 Amalgamated years, 64 Independent years and 61 Republic years to make an immediate past government missed under 24 hours of leaving power.

This is from the very day on Monday 29, 2023 that Major General Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, peacefully handed over both the finished and ongoing achievements of administration of 2015-2023 to the Bola Tinubu administration, intelligence antena of Nigerians were unprecedentedly alerted that they quickly recalled and missed the former President.

Right at the venue of his inauguration on that May 29, 2023 in a country where mere pronouncement is enough for implementation especially when it is one that favours marketers to the detriment of the masses, Tinunu had proudly and ‘gallantly’ – without minding whose ox was going to be gored – announced to Nigerians and the world present that not only the fuel subsidy “is gone” but also that the Naira would now float against foreign currencies.

Before the calling of JACK, operators of both food commodity markets and petroleum outlets as well as the transportation sector especially in the Tinubu-controlled Lagos, who had for eight years been blocked by Buhari from unjustly feeding fat on Nigerians, implemented the merely verbal pronouncement of ‘fuel subsidy is gone’ even with the Buhari administration’s stock they had and before evening time, Nigeria went dark in hardship as fuel pump price went asronomically to between N450 (NNPCL) and N550 (other) outlets.

That was just as Buhari and his family (Aisha and Yusuf) drove out of the Eagle Square to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Aiport reroute his country home of Katsina and were yet to arrive in Daura when even themselves, they saw that the fuel that took them out of Abuja at N184/N185 per litre was no longer so as they drove from the Katsina International Airport to Daura with fuel of Nabout N550 per litre.

Because the policies were said to be ill-informed, Naira floating, rather than being the promised blessing of unifying exchange rates, sadly collapsed the Nigerian Naira to the favour of especially the United States Dollar and weeks after, the resultant effect showed in tge need for Tinubu to increase fuel price further up and, as Dollar went up to N800, N1000, N1800 the higher the shameful collapse of the Naira grow the more devastating the the hardship of Nigerians in the face of increased fuel price leading to hiked food prices and cost of movement around with states, across Nigeria and internationally.

The urge to miss the immediate past administration of Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, further came handy on Monday Septembe4 9, 2024 when Nigerians and the world woke up intonthevrealitynof what now appears to be a calculated attempt by the civilian President Bola Tinubu’s government to clampdown on stakeholders that any democratic society requires to strengthen its democracy- the press, the Civil Society Organisations and the Labour Unions.

Although arrest of journalists have not been news about this administration same invitation by police of unionists, the arrest President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Monday, took every human being with consciousness of a good heart by rude shock.

As if that was not enough a trauma being afflicted on the sensibility of a people, whose votes – rightly or wrongly – brought Tinubu to power some one ears five months ago, the same government they installed with their own thumbprinting, and who will come back to seekbthemndo same in now two years seven months from now, sent its security agents after one of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that help them demand for justice, good governance, accountability and transparency, and clamped down on it.

That precisely the Tinubu government did when on Monday its agents from the Department of State Services (DSS) went and occupied the Abuja office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

In reacting to the sad experience, a veteran journalist, social justice activist, author, lawyer and Director of Media Right Law, Mr. Richard Akinola, recalled that even President Muhammadu Buhari with military background did not do the kind of dictatorship that Tinubu with no such background is doing to Nigerian democracy currently.

“DSS operatives invade SERAP’s office. Buhari, a former military General didn’t do it but the government of a supposed pro-democrat. Welcome to ABACHANISATION of Democracy,” Richard Akinola said.

Although Akinola tried to equate Tinubu government with Abacha military gulag, his co-traveler, respected Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), said at a recent Amnesty International event attended by him in Lagos said things they did under Abacha as activists, they dared not do under Tinubu civillian government, they would be gone for it. By implications, he said that Abacha military regime still gave level of freedom that Tinubu without military background does not give.

In the meantime, Vangiardvin a report titled, “‘Who’s advising this govt?’; Nigerians react as DSS invade SERAP’s office”, the Tinubu government has come under serious criticisms for its dangerous actions believedvtonbebthreatsvto to the nation’s 25 years old democracy.

In a post on X on Monday, SERAP raised an alarm over the invasion by armed men of the DSS, demanding to see the rights group’s directors.

It reads: “Officers from Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) are presently unlawfully occupying SERAP’s office in Abuja, asking to see our directors.

“President Tinubu must immediately direct the SSS to end the harassment, intimidation, and attack on the rights of Nigerians.”

This development has, however, triggered reactions from Nigerians across social media, with many describing the move as a way to suppress opposing voices.

In a statement, Amnesty International condemned the unlawful invasion of the group’s office.

It reads, “Amnesty International received disturbing report of the unlawful invasion of the Abuja office of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, by operatives of DSS.

“President Bola Tinubu is going too far in his government’s repressive efforts to gag dissenting voice.

“SERAP stands for accountability against corruption. It is bizarre that the DSS — which should focus on protecting Nigeria — are shockingly acting without respect for the rule of law, by consistently targeting civil society organizations and activists.”

Former Kaduna Senator Shehu Sani, who has been tagged as working for second term of yet to be well footed Tinubu even against his own North, wrote on his X handle that, “The reported invasion of SERAP office is concerning. Security agencies must respect the fundamental rights of the organisation, its officials and members as guaranteed by the constitution of the country.”

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong wrote on X, “The invasion of SERAP’s Abuja office by the SSS is unacceptable. The President Tinubu’s regime must end the attack on dissent.”

A user, @RolandNGabriel, said, “This is not acceptable. The attack on the Civil Society must not be allowed.

“The Federal Govt must call their agencies to order and respect Nigeria’s constitution.”

@Idolax said, “Just wondering, who are the set of people advising this govt? Everything about this govt seems anti-people.

“More like a vendetta against the citizens. Is this what renewed hope means?”