The Nigerian Civil Society Organisations, in solidarity with their Nigerien counterparts, have called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to intervene and secure the release of 23 activists illegally detained by the government of Niger Republic.
This was contained in a statement signed by 16 leaders of major the groups in Nigeria and made available to newsmen in Kano State by Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD on Wednesday.
READ ALSO: NGO adds 5000 trees to Kaduna climate
The statement alleged that the arrest of the 23 leaders of the major civil society groups in Niger Republic came March 25 when security operatives raided their respective offices and arrested them.
The statement added that the arrest was sequel to the mass protest staged by the CSOs against rising poverty in the country.
The statement lamented that the captives were charged with unlawful demonstrations and sent to jail without trial.
“Therefore, we the Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria call for the immediate release of our comrades unlawfully detained in prisons in Niger Republic.
“We demand for a stop at the systematic harassment and serial arrest of leaders of CSOs in Niger.
“We draw the attention to the significant decline of democratic culture in Niger due to the rise of authoritarianism and attack on rule of law by President Muhammadu Issoufou,” the statement lamented.
The statement, however, called on Nigerien people to continue with the struggle for the defense of democratic and civil rights in the country.
