The alliance denounced the desperate actions of the Nigerian administration as well as the security forces’ ongoing suppression of activists and dissident voices, especially the ten #EndBadGovernance demonstrators who are incarcerated in Kuje.

Under the umbrella of the Network of Abuja Left Groups, a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has denounced President Bola Tinubu for the detention of Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the incursion of the SERAP office in Abuja by DSS agents at the Abuja airport.

The alliance denounced the desperate actions of the Nigerian administration as well as the security forces’ ongoing suppression of activists and dissident voices, especially the ten #EndBadGovernance demonstrators who are incarcerated in Kuje.

Omole Ibukun of the Youths Rights Campaign, Kayode Salako of the Revolutionary Socialist Movement, Abdullahi Waziri of the Movement for Socialist Alternative, Comrade Gerald Katchy of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Destiny Destiny of the Civil Rights Council, and Agena Robert Ande of the Take it Back Movement all jointly signed a statement on Monday stating as much.

The declaration declared their determination to oppose the persistent fascism and repression aimed at suffocating Nigeria’s democracy at its core.

The human rights activists declared that they will not give up and will fight to preserve the democracy that their forebears sacrificed their lives to defend.

“The Network of Abuja Left Groups condemns the clampdown on the rights to protest in Nigeria, including the arrest of over 2000 protesters, five of whom were among the ten protesters arraigned last week. These members include Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (aka Lenin), Mosiu Sodiq, Daniel Akande, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (aka Yomi), Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, and others.

In addition to these arrests, there have been several attacks on journalists and injuries during the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations. During the protests, security agencies killed at least forty people. At the moment, DSS agents are occupying the Abuja headquarters of SERAP, a civil society organisation. All of these attacks have culminated in the unlawful detention of NLC President Joe Ajaero, and the Tinubu administration has driven the Nigerian people to the breaking point.

“The Tinubu regime’s violent turn against anyone who dared to challenge its misrule will not go unanswered. The regime keeps attacking people who want fundamental dignity and an end to this insecure and hungry regime, helped along by Justice Emeka Nwite’s unsettling and unfair verdicts.

We see the state outright criminalising dissent in an effort to hold onto power at the expense of the people. Or how else would we characterise a government that regards a request for improved governance as treachery? How else can we explain the glaring contrast between the people who ought to be applauded for their bravery and those who are currently being held in Kuje and other prisons throughout the nation (including minors) and the bandits who, encouraged by Tinubu’s regime’s contempt for real justice, roam free and tax the populace?

“Generations before us have sacrificed blood, tears, and even their lives to defend this democracy, and we are determined not to let it slip away. This ongoing, escalating repression is part of a system of governance intended to choke out Nigeria’s democracy. It is not a single episode.

Ensuring everyone has access to democracy’s benefits, such as security and well-being, is fundamental to democracy. The ruling class maintains its hold on power by economic pillage and judicial intimidation, while the working poor, who must contend with skyrocketing food costs, soaring inflation, and a disintegrating healthcare system, are treated with contempt. The pinnacle of it all is the recent increase in fuel prices brought on by government officials purchasing private planes and yachts.

The Network of Abuja Left Groups is fully behind our fellow activists who have been imprisoned and humiliated for calling for a better Nigeria. Comrade Joe Ajaero’s recent detention, in particular, shows that the Tinubu Regime is deliberately attempting to divide the opposition, isolate labour groups, and impose a false unity via indifference and fear. We’re going to make sure this tactic fails.

The Nigerian state’s repression is unable to stem the flood of class awareness. Not only do we support our imprisoned comrades and fellow protestors, but we also support the broader fight against injustice and widespread suffering in Nigeria. The absurdity of referring to these demonstrators as national traitors demonstrates how Tinubu’s power—which is meant to come from the people—is now being used against them.

Given the current state of affairs, when those who speak truth to power face criminal penalties, a profound reassessment of our social system as well as a revolutionary alternative are required. Thus, we urge the people of Nigeria to recognise this protracted conflict for what it is: a battle for our emancipation and a drawn-out journey towards freedom.

“As the September 11 court date draws near, we implore the judiciary and its associations, such as the NJC, NBA, and JUSUN, to never forget that upholding justice is the core function of the legal system, not stifling political dissent. We seek the immediate release of all of our incarcerated allies as well as the abolition of the criminalisation of dissent.

No rational administration should expect the Nigerian people to remain silent in the face of such grave moral and material difficulties. We implore all Nigerians to take to the streets after September 11 in protest against the policies that have impoverished us all and imprisoned our comrades.”