Alleged Suppression and Intimidation:
International human rights watchdog Global Rights asserts that during the eight-year tenure of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, instances of threatening and intimidating protesters and journalists were prevalent.
Vigorous Attempts to Hinder Information and Freedom:
Global Rights claims in its report, titled “Shege! A scorecard on the Buhari administration’s impact on Nigeria’s civic space,” that the Buhari administration vigorously attempted to hinder access to information, restrict freedom of expression, and oversee the reasons and manner citizens gathered.
Deterioration of Civic Space and Fundamental Freedoms:
The report, published on January 13, 2024, states that Nigeria experienced a significant deterioration in all aspects of civic space and fundamental freedoms throughout the eight-year term of President Buhari’s administration.
Suspicious Relations, Frosty Ties, and Desire for Control:
Global Rights points out the administration’s suspicious relationship with the media, frosty ties with civil society organizations, and a clear desire to control access to information, curtail freedom of expression, and monitor citizens’ assembly purposes.
Legislative Efforts and Threat to Democracy:
The report emphasizes the administration’s legislative efforts concerning civic space, warning that if implemented, Nigeria could have become one of the most restrictive democracies worldwide.
Human Cost – Lives Lost and Lives Disrupted:
Global Rights discloses that a minimum of 69 protesters lost their lives, and 250 protesters and 189 journalists faced arrest, detention, or harassment during Buhari’s leadership.
Unlawful Arrests and Detentions Under Buhari’s Leadership:
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, condemns numerous instances of unlawful arrests and detentions targeting journalists and civil society activists during Buhari’s leadership.
Warning Against Replicating the Pattern:
Rafsanjani advises President Bola Tinubu not to follow a similar course, emphasizing the importance of peaceful coexistence and the country’s development while recalling the atrocities committed against the Shiite and legal frameworks to gag civil society introduced by Buhari.
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