Internationalist Standpoint joins the global outcry to demand an immediate end to the attacks on the democratic rights of socialists and #EndBadGovernance protesters in Nigeria.
We stand in solidarity with the ongoing nationwide protest wave by Nigerians, who are demonstrating against rising inflation, escalating food prices, and widespread hunger that has intensified since the Tinubu government took power on May 29, 2023.
The recent wave of repression began with the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Security (DSS, also known as the State Security Services) clamping down on August 1st #EndBadGovernance protesters. The turnout in major cities was massive. The regime could not halt the protests, even though they attempted to do so through paid PR campaigns and political thugs who sought to intimidate activists. In many instances, thugs were also used to attack peaceful protesters, but the demonstrators continued to resist undeterred.
The situation escalated dramatically when police fired teargas canisters and live bullets at protesters, resulting in the deaths of over fifty people nationwide. More than two hundred individuals are currently detained in various police facilities. Disturbing images of unarmed protesters being shot have circulated widely on social media.
The repression reached new heights when, on Sunday morning, President Tinubu, during a nationwide broadcast, called for an end to the protests without addressing any of the protesters’ demands. Activists responded by calling for even more protests. The government responded by intensifying attacks on socialist activists.
At around 1:40 am on Monday, August 5th, a joint security force raided the residence of Adaramoye Michael, also known as Lenin, abducting him along with other tenants in the apartment. Comrades from various socialist organizations (Democratic Socialist Movement-CWI and others) were arrested, with their families unaware of their whereabouts for over forty-eight hours. There were also arrests of civil society organisations (Advocate of New Nigeria) and raids in the offices of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights. Today, August 9th, the police laid siege at the CDHR office to stop protesters from doing a symposium and mourning for those killed during the protests.
Since then, comrades in Nigeria have launched a campaign to free all detained activists and other protesters.
The repression continued on Wednesday, August 7th, at 8pm, when the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), one of Nigeria’s labor centers, was invaded by the DSS. A bookshop within the NLC was ransacked, and all books were confiscated by the DSS. Seems that the Tinubu regime views books as a threat to national security…
Moreover, the Nigeria Immigration Service announced that donors to protest organisers from abroad have been placed on a watchlist and would be arrested if they tried to enter the country!
With ongoing repression, the lives of activists in Nigeria are under serious threat, forcing many into hiding to avoid arrest and torture by security forces.
The working class and its organisations, along with left wing forces and social movements, have a crucial role to play in order to put a stop to this violent escalation.
We extend our international solidarity to the protest movement in Nigeria and its demands. We call for an immediate end to the wave of repression and the killing of protesters. We pledge to do everything in our power to secure the release of all socialists and the dropping of all charges against them.
