The Buhari Administration has been filled with several controversies and they keep increasing as days go by. Recently the top of the list is the current disregard of the rule of law by the Department of State Security (DSS), clamping down on freedom of speech by the senate through the hate speech and social media ban bill.
Omoyele Sowore, a Nigerian Journalist and prominent activist was released from detention on the 5th of December, 2019 after spending over 100 days in prison as against the court orders for his release. His walk of freedom was short-lived after he was arrested once again by the operates of DSS just a day after his release.
The reason for his re-arrest is yet unknown to the public but his legal team led by Femi Falana has named it a disregard for the rule of law. In videos that surfaced online, Nigeria’s Department for State Security (DSS) stormed the courthouse where he was summoned for hearing and attempted to drag him out.
This makes it the second time DSS is disregarding the court’s order in Sowores case. The rule of law implies that no citizen in a state is above the law of that state. So, if the court, which is in place to make sure that rules and laws are obeyed by performing judicial roles, why then would the DSS disregard it’s decisions? It goes a long way to prove the deterioration of the rule of law in Nigeria.
Amnesty International had this to say about the situation;
“The attempted abduction and eventual rearrest of prisoners of conscience Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare, including the desecration of the Nigerian judiciary by SSS officials tells a bigger story of impunity and flagrant disregard for the rule of law by the Nigerian government,”
Bob Menendez, a US Senator from New Jersey, where Sowore’s family is based, described his rearrest in a letter as a “blatant miscarriage of justice which is symptomatic of closing political and media space in Nigeria.”
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President Buhari is who was a military dictator in the 1980s has a history of clamping down on the freedom of the press. Although he was branded as a ”reformed democrat” in his 2015 campaign, it is obvious that Buhari along with members of his ruling party, All Progressive Congress, who dominate the senate are keen on restricting certain freedom of speech.
In recent years we’ve noticed the disappearance of some political critics, there’s been an increase in the arrest of journalists and the charges placed against Sowore shows that this administration would not support any public criticism against it.
Sowore was charged with treason and the government claims the activist planned to overthrow the current administration after he called for a protest dubbed “Revolution Now.” other journalists like Agba Jalingo are victims of this administration too.
The infringement on freedom of speech is a growing problem in Nigeria. The government supported National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech bill and the Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and other Related Offences bill could give Nigerian authorities arbitrary powers to shut down the internet and limit access to social media. It could also make criticizing the government a punishable offence with penalties of up to three years in prison.
If these activities are left to linger, Nigeria might end a state where certain institutions disregard the law and go scot-free. The hate speech bill and social media ban would restrict government criticism and step by step the country would fall into the hands of a dictator. These acts are unacceptable and are in complete violation of the constitution and basic human rights.