By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) says Nigeria cannot credibly lead efforts against military coups in West Africa without first addressing its own internal crises.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, he warned that poverty, insecurity, illiteracy, and political exclusion continue to undermine national stability.
Falana criticised the shrinking civic space, noting that dissent is increasingly criminalised.
He urged INEC to register more ideological political parties to widen participation, arguing that vibrant opposition is essential for democratic stability.
He cautioned that coups will persist across Africa if governments suffocate political competition. “Once you jail or exile opposition leaders, you cannot have political stability,” he said.
Falana’s comments come after Sunday’s failed coup attempt in Benin, led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, which was swiftly quelled with support from Nigerian and ECOWAS forces. Several arrests were made while Tigri remains at large.
The Nigerian Senate has since approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy troops to Benin as part of regional stabilisation efforts.
