The arrest of 25 citizens in Minna, Niger State, by the Nigerian police for participating in a protest against the staggering cost of living is an attack on human rights.

Development Diaries reports that on Monday, angry women and young people demonstrated in the streets of Minna against the hardships that the country is experiencing as a result of the rising cost of living in the country.

We understand that the protest began when a group of women blocked the Minna-Bida Road at the popular Kpakungu Roundabout to lament the suffering under this government.

According to the spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Abiodun Wasiu, the protesters would be taken to court and arraigned.

Peaceful protest is a cornerstone of any democratic society, providing a vital avenue for citizens to voice their grievances, demand accountability, and advocate for change.

The use of arbitrary arrests and excessive force by the police is a clear violation of international human rights standards and the nation’s constitutional provisions.

Section 40 of the constitution stipulates the right of every Nigerian to peaceful assembly; hence, every individual has the right to peacefully assemble and express their views without fear of persecution or reprisal.

Moreover, the Nigerian government should not be prioritising the arrest of protestors while millions of people are in extreme poverty, widespread malnutrition, and danger of hunger.

It is the responsibility of the government to uphold citizens’ rights to peaceful protests and to have civil conversations about their complaints.

Development Diaries calls on the Niger State Police Command to immediately release all detained protesters and ensure that they are afforded due process.

Additionally, there must be accountability for those responsible for ordering the arrests and the use of excessive force. Without accountability, such abuses of power will only continue unchecked, further undermining the democratic fabric of the country.

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