Deji Adeyanju, a human rights activist, gave a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu on Arise TV’s Newsnight, claiming that the recent arrests of journalists and protestors on treason charges will not prevent the administration from collapsing under the weight of its failures. Adeyanju criticized the government’s suppression of opposition on Monday, citing parallels with authoritarian regimes around Africa.
Adeyanju highlighted the irony of a government more focused on suppressing protest than addressing the rampant insecurity plaguing the country. “Ours is a nation where bandits are killing and abducting citizens all over the place, and nobody’s filing any terrorism charges against them. It’s an irony of some sort,” he said.
He went on to criticize the government’s response to the ongoing fuel crisis, describing the scenes at fueling stations as chaotic and likening them to carnivals. “Fueling stations have almost become like a carnival, with activities and behavioral displays that you would think Davido, Burna Boy, and Wizkid combined are performing there,” Adeyanju remarked, noting that the situation has persisted for months without any meaningful government intervention.
The activist did not mince words when discussing the arrests of protesters and journalists, calling the Tinubu government’s actions “recklessly shameless.” He argued that even military regimes had been more cautious in their approach to dealing with dissent, stating, “The military were careful to arrest protesters and charge them for treasonable felony. But the Tinubu government is not wise enough.”
Adeyanju also drew parallels between Tinubu and other African leaders who have turned into tyrants after initially being critics of their predecessors. “The best critics make the worst leaders. Check all around Africa. Museveni was a former critic. Today he’s a complete tyrant,” he noted, adding that Tinubu and his cohorts seem intent on silencing dissent and attacking the media.
Addressing the government’s justification for the arrests, Adeyanju dismissed the notion that protests are a threat to national security. “Protest is inevitable. If fuel queues persist, if hunger persists, protests will continue,” he asserted. He also questioned why only anti-government protesters face treason charges, while those supporting the government are left unscathed.
“The kidnappers that killed an emir do not deserve enough attention to warrant going after them, but protesters calling for an end to bad governance are the problem?” Adeyanju asked rhetorically, highlighting the selective nature of the government’s actions.
In a damning indictment of the current administration, Adeyanju warned that the crackdown on dissent would not stop protests. “Even under the military, this did not deter people from protesting. How much more a supposed democratically elected government?” he said, questioning whether Nigeria is truly acting like a democracy under Tinubu’s leadership.
Adeyanju concluded by emphasizing the rights of those who have been arrested, criticizing the government for keeping them in custody for extended periods without proper investigation. He also raised concerns about reports of torture and mistreatment of detainees, calling on the Nigerian police to address these allegations.
