President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, acknowledged the hardship in the country but promised that it would only be for a while.

Tinubu assured that the policies and programmes of his administration are on track, but Nigerians should not expect instant results.

President Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, spoke at the 70th birthday of the Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community, Pastor Tunde Bakare, in Lagos.

He appealed for patience and understanding from Nigerians, assuring that there would be light at the end.

Akume, in his speech, said: “The President acknowledges that times are hard, but at the end of it all, there is always light. And solutions to complex problems can never be as instant as coffee, but we are on the right track.”

Speaking about the celebrant, President Tinubu described Pastor Bakare as a precious human being who has served with dedication, principles of honesty, transparency, and fairness in many aspects of life.

The President acknowledged Bakare’s zeal for a better Nigeria and his dedication to humanity.

He said: “We are here to celebrate a true man of God, a most precious human being. It gives me great joy to honour a man whose life has been an embodiment of passion, integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice and righteousness. PTB has been a beacon of hope and a voice for the voiceless in our society.

“His decades of service and dedication, principles of honesty, transparency, and fairness have been in the respect and admiration of many across this nation. His life journey reflects our commitment not just to spiritual growth, but also to the social and political development of our country.

“I acknowledge your relentless passion for better Nigeria, a country where equal justice and good government prevails. This celebration is a testament to a life of strength and courage, of powerful messages and fearless advocacy, deep volumes of your dedication to lifting humanity.

“It is these values that allow you to make such a difference. As you unveil your token of growth, the vast but definitely not the least, we look forward to gaining insights into the endless experiences that have shaped you into the formidable figure we see today.”

Almost two months after denying him access to his legal team, the Department of State Services (DSS), on Monday granted the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, access to his legal team.

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, the lead counsel to Kanu’s legal team who made this on Monday eveing said that Kanu was granted access to his legal team following the directives given by the Director General of the DSS, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.

Ejimakor added that the legal team who has been denied access to Kanu since September 27, 2024, was joined by a US-based Mr. Ndidi Awurum.

Ejimakor noted that the legal team’s access to Kanu on Monday was made possible by the intervention of their legal luminary, Hon. Obi Aguocha.

In a post on X, Ejimakor said, “Today, on the directives of the DG DSS, the #MnkLegalTeam conducted the first successful visitation with MAZI NNAMDI KANU since Sept. 27.

“Mazi Ndidi Awurum, who came from the US, was with us. Our ramrod legal forays & Hon Obi Aguocha’s intervention were crucial to this outcome.”

Ejimakor had severally raised the alarm over the DSS blatant and continued disobedience of extant court order in Kanu’s case by denying the legal team access to the detained IPOB leader.

On November 1, SaharaReporters reported that Ejimakor said that in deliberate violation of court order allowing Kanu access to his lawyers, the DSS blocked Kanu access from his legal team.

He vowed that following the DSS’s insistence on violating the court order, all suspended legal actions to enforce compliance would proceed apace and with much vigour.

…now endorsed yreason charges for protesters who spoke against hardship

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigerian human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu for allowing the Nigerian police to charge peaceful protesters, including minors, with treason and terrorism.

The charges, filed in response to protests against the severe economic hardship attributed to the government’s neoliberal policies dictated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Falana, who himself has a long history of advocating for civil rights, highlighted the irony of President Tinubu’s approach, reminding Nigerians that Tinubu himself once fled the country under the regime of General Sani Abacha to escape a death sentence imposed by a brutal dictatorship.

“Today, under Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria is witnessing similar suppression, with peaceful protesters—including minors—facing charges of treason for opposing economic hardships that have been exacerbated by neoliberal economic policies endorsed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.”

In August 2024, protests erupted across Nigeria in response to rising living costs and other economic grievances.

The Senior Advocate said despite the constitutional right to peaceful assembly, police arrested 130 protesters, including 29 minors, and charged them with offenses such as treason and incitement to mutiny.

These charges, Falana argued, are groundless under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022, which explicitly excludes protests, demonstrations, and work stoppages from being classified as terrorist acts.

However, an ex parte court order allowed the suspects to be detained for 60 days for further investigation.

Falana condemned the strategy as an attempt by the government to intimidate citizens and stifle dissent.

“The Federal Government set out to use the case of the 130 protesters to discourage Nigerian people from protesting against the harsh living conditions,” he stated.

He added that the global condemnation of the charges eventually pressured the government into abandoning the prosecution, yet the incident has raised questions about Nigeria’s commitment to upholding democratic values.

Falana urged the Nigerian government to redirect its focus toward protecting peaceful demonstrators rather than prosecuting them.

“Instead of exposing the country to avoidable shame by charging protesters with a crime punishable by death,” he argued, “the police should comply with the law by providing security for peaceful assemblies.”

He added that respecting citizens’ rights to assemble is essential to fostering a democratic society.