The Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA) has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as a dictatorship following the denial of the Department of State Security (DSS) to release five activists in its custody arrested in connection with the Nationwide protest on #EndBadGovernance.
The Executive Director of CODWA, Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye said that Babatunde Oluajo (SANKARA), Michael Linin and three others were abducted at the Abuja residence of Comrade Oluajo.
He further said: “It should not be the case of denial because the whole world is aware of the invasion of their residence and subsequent abduction of the activists named.
“The President and Commander-In-Chief (CIC) of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu has consistently claimed to be a democrat who went through the barricades to power.
“Some of the questions arising are; Is the president aware that security agencies under his watch are invading the residents of Rights activists to abduct leaders of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria and have denied access to them since the night of Monday 5th August 2024?
“Should Nigerians and the global community conclude that President Bola Tinubu’s government has evolved into a full dictatorship
“Going by the President’s nationwide address of Sunday 4th August in which he failed to condemn and accept that the Nigerian police used live bullets to kill peaceful protesters?
“For how long would this government continue to place the citizens on the path of hardships, hunger and attacks from security forces that are supposed to protect them?
“If the government has continually failed to protect the people from daily and incessant kidnappings, ransoms and killings by terrorists, should the State Security Services (SSS) under a “democrat president” introduce abduction to its operations like the days of Hermann Göring, the 1933 Gestapo of the Nazis, the secret state police under which there were several disappearances of several activists and political opponents?
“Is this not a double tragedy to face the terrorists and cruelty of a president proclaiming to be a Democrat?”
Otitolaye noted that it has been 72 hours since SANKARA and other Comrades were abducted in their residence without access to their Lawyers, families and friends.
He opined that it was alien to the 1999 Constitution amended- of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all the regional and international instruments promoting human rights.
He said: “How could we come to the term that President Bola Tinubu is a democrat? We call on men and women of consciences, and the global community to prevail on President Bola Tinubu to stop these primitive killings, assaults and invasions of residences of human rights activists to abduct them under the covers of darkness
“We hold President Bola Tinubu responsible for any negative consequences to Babatunde Oluajo Michael Linin and three others abducted on the 5th of August in Abuja. They must be immediately released unconditionally from state captivity.”
