Chief Peter Ameh, former presidential candidate and erstwhile national chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has urged the immediate release of all prisoners of conscience currently detained by the government.
In a statement released on Monday, Ameh expressed alarm over the arrest and detention of protesters and journalists in Nigeria, warning that such actions pose a grave threat to democratic principles and fundamental human rights, including freedom of speech and assembly.
Ameh highlighted several recent incidents of harassment and detention of journalists, including Bristol Isaac (PIDOMNIGERIA), who remains in custody, and others like Daniel Ojukwu, Fisayo Soyombo, David Hundeyin, and Adejuwon Soyinka, who was detained at the airport on Sunday and later released with his passport seized.
He condemned the arrests, noting that while journalists and dissenters face crackdowns, bandits and kidnappers continue to operate with impunity.
“In a democratic society, citizens should be able to express their opinions and participate in peaceful protests without fear of intimidation or arrest,” Ameh stated.
“Similarly, journalists play a crucial role in holding those in power accountable and should be able to report on events without harassment or detention,” he added.
Ameh warned that the government’s actions undermine freedom of speech, limit accountability, and threaten transparency.
He criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for fostering an environment of self-censorship, damaging public trust in institutions, and deepening societal divisions.
According to him, the actions hinder informed decision-making and set a dangerous precedent that could normalize authoritarian behaviour, ultimately threatening the very foundations of democracy.
Ameh called for an end to the arrests and imprisonment of individuals on trumped-up charges, urging the government to uphold due process and transparency.
He emphasized the crucial role of journalists in promoting democracy in Nigeria despite the challenges they face, including censorship, harassment, and violence.
Their work, he stressed, is essential to deepening democratic values and practices in the country.
harassment and intimidating and detention and corruptions are the source of power of Nigerian government since 1979 up to date with the help of united Nations, having seen all these rubbish in Nigerian system of government, and still accommodating Nigeria as a Democratic country. Corruptions everywhere in the world. Big shame to the UN Chairmen. no