Tomorrow, December 10th, the world will celebrate Human Rights Day. It will also be marked in Nigeria as we review the crackdown on the freedom of the press; proposed bills to curb dissent and a general environment of shrinking civic space of which the recent actions of our security agencies are just an example.

We represent a cross-section of Nigerian civil society actors that have played various roles in Nigeria's journey to civil rule.
Two key issues are of concern to us, namely:

Attack on Our Judiciary
Attack on Free Speech & Pattern of Silencing Dissent
In closing, we demand the following:

President Muhammadu Buhari to show accountability as President and Commander-in-Chief and address the nation on his commitment to the rule of law and human rights.

The release of all illegally detained persons by the DSS as revealed by Amnesty, Premium Times & Punch Newspapers in recent months.
That the government obey all outstanding court orders.

An investigation of the officers who violated protocol and the circumstances leading to Omoyele Sowore’s 2nd arrest.
The unconditional release of Omoyele Sowore per his bail terms.

If these five demands are not honored within 14 days - we call on patriots to join us as we occupy the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) offices across the country, as it is legally mandated to protect rights and it reports to the Presidency.

“May I remind this government that disobedience calls to disobedience, and that disobedience of the orders of the constitutional repository of the moral authority of arbitration – the judiciary – can only lead eventually to a people’s disregard of the authority of other arms of civil society, a state of desperation that is known, recognized and accepted as– civil disobedience.

It is so obvious – state disobedience leads eventually to civil disobedience, piecemeal or through a collective withdrawal of recognition of other structures of authority. That way leads to chaos but – who set it in motion? As is often the case, the state, unquestionably. Such a state bears full responsibility for the ensuing social condition known as anomie.” - Wole Soyinka
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!