Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to use the Military against #EndSARS protesters.
He also said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, risks facing the International Criminal Court (ICC) if any of the protesters is killed.
In a statement as the Chairman of the Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), Falana advised Buhari to withdraw plans to engage soldiers for what is a purely democratic issue.
ASCAB said protests have commonplace across the world as seen in Hong Kong, US, France, South Africa, Belarus and even in Sudan.
“It is unfortunate that the Nigerian government is sending a signal to the military that it has a role to play in a purely civil matter.
“The plan to deploy soldiers is dangerous. It will push Nigeria into the red light district of global reckoning,” the statement read.
It urged “Buhari not to use soldiers to quell a peaceful, civil protest. The protesters have been lawful. The few cases of violence were associated with armed thugs disrupting the protests coupled with the shooting of protesters by security operatives.
“The political class is isolating Nigerians from governance. State resources are squandered by a few, corrupt people who over the years have failed to address institutional rot that continues to fuel anger and desperation of the toiling people.”
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that the Nigerian Army on Sunday assured Nigerians that the operation ‘Crocodile Smile’ has no relationship with the ongoing #EndSARS protests across the country.
