The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, is asking the United Nations to compel the federal government to stop what the group describes as the intimidation of the Bring Back Our Girls group.
A statement issued by the senior staff counsel of SERAP, Mr Timothy Adewale, SERAP said that this violates the rights of members to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Part of the statement reads: “No Nigerian law makes it a crime to demonstrate in any part of the country. Harassing the BBOG group and stopping its members from proceeding peacefully to the seat of government is overkill.
“It is the primary duty of the President Muhammadu Buhari government to protect all demonstrators, including the BBOG group and enable lawful demonstrations to proceed peacefully. Carrying out this obligation is about deeds, not words.
“SERAP considers the restrictions placed on the right of the BBOG group to peaceful assembly by law enforcement agencies as unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified in law, and in bad faith.
“The ability of the BBOG group to organise, mobilise and speak out on matters of the missing Chibok girls cannot be prohibited under any grounds whatsoever.”
SERAP added that it considers restrictions placed on the Bring Back Our Girls group to peaceful assemble by law enforcement agencies as unjustified in law, and in bad faith.
