Instruct Police to stop increasing attacks on rights activists, groups – SERAP tells Jonathan

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) Tuesday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to “urgently instruct the police authorities to stop increasing level of attacks against anti-corruption and human rights campaigners.”
The group stated this in its reaction to reports that a detachment of heavily armed Nigeria Policemen yesterday sealed off the NICON Luxury Hotel, to stop a program organized by the Anti-Corruption Network, ACN, headed by former House of Representatives member, Dino Melaye.
The event, tagged: “Colloquium On Freedom Of Information Act 2011”, was scheduled to be addressed by experts and anti-corruption activists from Europe, USA and Nigeria.
But officers of the Nigeria Police, led by an Assistant Commissioner and acting on “orders from above”, stormed the venue at about 9:30 am, preventing all invited guests and dignitaries from attending the occasion.

In a statement signed by the group’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP said “those brave enough to stand up against corruption and human rights abuse are coming under increasing attack. Unfortunately, next to nothing is done by this government to protect them.”
The group said that “the President must make clear that it is the responsibility of the government to protect the right to speak out about human rights abuses and that it is proper and legal for citizens to express opinions and concerns about their own government’s human rights and anti-corruption records.”
“Voicing opinions on issues of national importance – whether human rights conditions or anti-corruption issues – is a critical part of a democratic society and a right that should be fully protected by the government.
“Standing by and doing nothing while anti-corruption and human rights defenders are constantly targeted by the police amounts to a breach of the country’s constitution and international human rights and anti-corruption obligations and commitments, and an affront to the rule of law.
SERAP added that the government must act fast to stop this disturbing trend, and address the impunity of perpetrators,”.