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#NorthIsBleeding: TakeItBack Movement Demands Release Of 8 Protesters Arrested In Kaduna, Tells Police To Face Bandits, Others

December 21, 2021

The group asked the Nigerian police and other security agents to use their resources to apprehend terrorists and other criminals disturbing the peace of the country instead of hounding peaceful protesters.

The Kaduna State chapter of human rights group, Take It Back Movement, has demanded the release of eight #NorthIsBleeding protesters arrested by security agents on Tuesday, during a peace walk in Zaria.

The group asked the Nigerian police and other security agents to use their resources to apprehend terrorists and other criminals disturbing the peace of the country instead of hounding peaceful protesters.

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Some protesting youths, on Tuesday morning, came out en masse in Zaria, to demand an end to insecurity in Kaduna State and the Northern region in general.

They joined their counterparts in other parts of the region to protest against incessant killings, abductions and other crimes in the North.

The youths, bearing placards with various inscriptions like -“North Is Bleeding, End Insecurity Now” “We are dying, stop the killing” “End Insecurity” ”Where is President Muhammadu Buhari?”-  flooded the streets of Zaria.

Some of them were, however, arrested by the police and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

In its reaction to the incident, TIB called on the state Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Mudasiru to ensure the immediate release of the detained protesters.

 

This was disclosed in a statement titled, ‘Arrest the Assailants and not the Victims’ by the Northwest Zonal Coordinator, TIB, Ogugua Bright, which was made available to SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

 

The statement read, “The Take It Back (TIB), Kaduna State Chapter, in solidarity with the North is Bleeding Peace walk organizers, hereby in strong terms condemns the obstruction, intimidation and subsequent arrest of unarmed Nigerian youths who came out on a peaceful walk to demand an end to the wanton killings in the north and Nigeria at large.

“We find this operation of arrest by the Nigerian Police funny, having obtained due permission from both the Police and the SSS (State Security Service also known as DSS) regarding the above subject matter even though as citizens we reserve the right to lawful association and assembly without any need for Police clearance, we wonder why the kangaroo arrest.

 

“Following the above, therefore, our demands are as follows: We call on the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State (Mr Abdullahi Mudasiru) to as a matter of fact and urgency direct for the immediate release of the 8 protesters namely; Hassan Sandars, Muktar, Safulahi, Munirat and four others arrested at the conclusion of the peace walk in Zaria today being the 21/12/2021.

“We demand that the officer(s) responsible for such arrest be made to face disciplinary action for indulging in such an unlawful arrest.

 

 

 

“The Nigeria Police Force should direct her energy, strides, and professionalism towards containing criminal elements instead of clamping down on her unarmed bonafide citizens.

 

 “We anticipate your swift response.”

Topics
Human Rights