By Lukman Amusa
A coalition of civil society groups on Tuesday accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris of planning to plunge Nigeria into a full-fledged dictatorship over the re-arrest of human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju.
Adeyanju, who is the coordinator of Concerned Nigerians, have been arraigned before two separate Magistrate Courts in Abuja by the IGP and the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Burutai, on allegations bordering on promoting terrorism on social media, cyber stalking, inciting public disturbance and joint act of criminal defamation before his re-arrest.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the coalition, which consists of the Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, Our Mumu Don Do movement and MadConnect, alleged that the re-arrest and transfer of Adeyanju to Kano was intended to keep him out of circulation.
The National Secretary of Our Mumu Don Do movement, Raphael Adebayo, said the government exhibited ethnic bias by only re-arresting Adeyanju out of the four other persons arrested and detained for their activities.
“In this latest act of desperation by the Buhari government to silence, detain and possibly eliminate Comrade Deji Adeyanju, the Nigeria Police have now illegally and wickedly elected to review a case of culpable Homicide, from which he was discharged and acquitted about 10 years ago, ignoring the long-established principle of Utre Fois Acquit – which makes the case a dead issue that cannot be reawakened.
“In fact, we can confirm to you that Deji Adeyanju was secretly whisked out of Abuja to Kano State at the early hours of today. We can also tell you authoritatively, that we are no longer in doubt that the only reason Deji was hurriedly whisked to Kano this morning is for the Nigerian Government to quickly execute their devious plan and plot against our brother.
“We wish to state that this same judgement that discharged and acquitted Deji Adeyanju was used by the spokesman of the APC, Festus Keyamo as part of the cases he submitted to earn his SANship. It was also Keyamo based on professional calling and participation in the matter, who made the judgement available to Adeyanju. It is also an attempt by the Police to doubt Keyamo and also whether he used a false case to earn his SAN honour.
“Again, we wish to reiterate, as mentioned during our press conference one week ago, we have been informed by multiple veritable sources that the nucleus of the continued persecution of Comrade Deji Adeyanju is a state-backed lethal plot to eliminate him and other fearsome activists in the country.
“Also, it is crucial to mention, that this unlawful arrest was effectuated without any petition whatsoever submitted to the Nigerian police against Deji Adeyanju. The arrest is, therefore, highly indicative of executive desperation to intimidate and persecute Deji Adeyanju.
“We are compelled, therefore, to state unequivocally that should anything untoward happen to our comrade Deji Adeyanju, the remaining days of the present regime of General Buhari shall witness neither peace nor tranquillity.
“While the Buhari government and Police have in flagrant violation of our laws chosen to embark on this fruitless voyage of illegal discovery, we are shocked by their recoil into ethno-religious biases and vendetta, arresting only Deji Adeyanju – the only Yoruba-Christian in a group of four persons that include three Hausa-Fulanis, that were discharged and acquitted.
“It is, therefore, unfortunate that while the present regime of General Buhari continues to give a false impression – to Nigerians and especially the international community – that it is committed to a united Nigeria that is free of ethnic bigotry and intolerance, its actions, however, especially as it relates to respect for human rights and dissenting voices, have proved otherwise.
“Again, we wish to forewarn all well-meaning Nigerians, within and without the country, that as gathered through veritable sources within the incumbent government of General Buhari, there is an active plot to silence dissenting voices of opposition against the regime; and the ultimate goal of this plot is to plunge Nigeria into a full-fledged dictatorship,” he said.
