Pan-Yoruba Group Expresses Concern Over Crackdown on Protests Amid Economic Hardship
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, has criticized the Bola Tinubu administration for labeling hunger protests in Nigeria as a treasonable offense. According to the group, this stance undermines citizens’ fundamental rights to express their grievances, particularly in the face of economic mismanagement.
In a statement released by Afenifere’s Deputy National Leader, HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan, and signed by National Publicity Secretary Justice Faloye, the organization called for the immediate and unconditional release of protesters charged with treason. Afenifere warned the administration against slipping into a dictatorship that criminalizes peaceful protests over economic conditions.
The statement argued that charging protesters with treason when they are merely exercising their democratic right to demand better governance is a dangerous precedent. “Citizens have the right to protest peacefully, and those who turn violent should be charged only with criminal acts, not treason,” the group asserted.
Afenifere also pointed out that the Tinubu administration’s premature removal of fuel subsidies has worsened the country’s economic crisis, leading to hyperinflation, fuel shortages, and widespread hardship. The organization questioned the government’s commitment to its own promises, noting that President Tinubu’s manifesto had pledged to remove subsidies only after local refineries were functional.
“The economic misgovernance of this administration is bordering on criminal negligence and economic treason,” the statement added, stressing that the administration’s policies have significantly worsened the standard of living for Nigerians.
Afenifere further alleged that the National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other government bodies have conflicts of interest, exacerbating the country’s reliance on fuel imports and dollar scarcity. The organization warned that the administration’s approach is not only strangling the economy but also destroying public trust.
“The government cannot jail Nigerians who are protesting the debilitating economic policies and fuel shortages caused by privatization efforts that benefit only a select few,” Afenifere concluded, calling for immediate policy reforms to alleviate the economic burden on Nigerians.
About Post Author
Views: 0
