Aisha Yesufu Raises Alarm Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Deployment Of Soldiers To Intimidate #OccupyNASS Protesters
Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has condemned the deployment of soldiers around the National Assembly complex, describing it as unconstitutional and a blatant attempt to suppress citizens’ rights under the Bola Tinubu government.
Yesufu spoke on Tuesday at the protest ground in Abuja, where demonstrators gathered under the “Occupy National Assembly” campaign to oppose the Senate’s rejection of a clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.
“All we are asking for is real-time electronic transmission of the electoral results. We are here, and we are waiting for the lawmakers we sent to Abuja to pass the bill the way it should be passed. All citizens are asking for is electronic transmission, real-time. I do not see any reason why that is a problem,” Yesufu said.
“To every soldier that you brought here, know that you are here unconstitutionally because your job description does not include being here against protesters. Before you pull that trigger or throw that canister, ask yourself: Is it constitutional or unconstitutional?”
Yesufu referenced past security failures and questioned why troops were deployed to the protest instead of areas facing terrorist threats.
“There are soldiers that should be in Kwara defending the people, yet they are here. Terrorists threatened citizens yesterday. The last time they did, over 200 people were killed. They operated from sunset to sunrise,” she said.
Similarly, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force barricaded major roads leading to the National Assembly complex ahead of an emergency plenary session scheduled for Tuesday.
