CISLAC Salutes Nigerians
Posted Wed Jan 18,2012

The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) hereby salutes millions of Nigerians who stormed the streets for a full week to express their hard feelings over gross insensitivity showcased by the federal government through its oppressive and unilateral decision to deregulate the downstream petroleum sector, resulting in the punitive increase in the pump price of petrol. Those days of nationwide street protest demonstrated resilience by Nigerians to unite against a common adversary represented by the inhuman policy of the federal government.

We in CISLAC equally view the largely peaceful protests as a mark of an important milestone in our democratic process. The levels of maturity, consistency, comportment, constructive and principled expression of dissent by the majority of the protesters are especially commendable. Nigerians came out, against all odds, to express their constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression, and have done so passionately.

It was however heart numbing that some trigger-happy police men acting on instructions from authorities descended on defenseless and unarmed Nigerians. The simple offence of those patriotic citizens was their resolve to say no to a policy that was at once cruel and callous.   

As at last count, at least a dozen persons have paid the supreme price for daring to stand against official profligacy, the precursor of mercilessness. Several others sustained bullet wounds aside those who were molested and illegally arrested by overzealous policemen. 

 Triumphantly, however, despite the plot by government at various levels to scuttle this mass action by the Nigerian masses, the protests continued throughout the country even with increased vigour and determination as the days go by. 

We unequivocally condemn police’s show of power on unarmed protesters just to appease ungodly ego. The Nigeria Police Force once more interpreted their disability in crowd control through thoughtless show of force that was uncalled for. 

We however commend the steps taken by the police authorities to bring those trigger-happy policemen to order. We will track the process up to ensure that those overzealous officers are appropriately punished to serve as deterrent to officers of their ilk. Police authorities should therefore be transparent and fair in investigating and addressing those cases of gross human rights violations.

We commend the resoluteness of the protesters not have allowed the negative publicity and propaganda to create divisions in their ranks but remained united across the federation and stuck with the issues. We also commend them for not yielding to intimidation from security forces and the distractions of rented third columnists disguised as hoodlums.

CISLAC wants to commend the Nigeria Bar Association for the free legal services it promised to offer the victims of these inhuman attacks. Doctors, under the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) deserved commendation for offering medical assistant to the victims. We also commend members of the press for the tempo with which they covered the protests across the country.

We condemn the totalitarian, oppressive and retrogressive action of government to deploy armed carrying security forces to prevent the people from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights and see this as the act of a desperate regime bereft of ideas and conceding to helplessness in the face of a determined citizens’ movement. We commend the labour Union for applying discretion in reverting to sit-at-home and thereby saving the lives of innocent citizens who would have been lost by government’s renewed onslaught on the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

As the strike is suspended, we wish to remind Nigerians that the protest were not just about the price of petrol but the right to be heard, the need to be consulted on policies and the need to have good governance, fight corruption, curb wastages in government and build a democracy that puts the people at the centre of decision making. The outcome is a vindication that sovereignty belongs to the people and that Nigeria is bigger than any individual, team, committee and political party no mater how ‘SURE’ they imagine themselves to be.

We therefore call on all stakeholders sustain this tempo to put pressure on government and not to forget the lessons learnt through the startling revelation of corruption, wastage, rent seeking, primitive accumulation, poor expenditure management and misplacement of priorities carried out in the name of government and administration. 

The struggle for the Soul of our nation and the survival of the vast majority who wallow in poverty is one that must be sustained and won 

Long live Nigerians and God bless the

Federal Republic of Nigeria!    

SIGNED

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)

Executive Director

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy

Centre (CISLAC)