In recent events, a well-known human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, raised alarm over what he described as an unsettling development in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Effiong claims that the spirit of the late General Sani Abacha, a former military ruler with a notorious reputation, now hovers over the country’s Presidential Villa.
His statement comes amidst troubling actions by the government, including the arrest of Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), by the Department of State Services (DSS), and a clampdown on the office of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in Abuja.
A Shift Towards Tyranny?
In a series of posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Effiong didn’t mince words as he accused the Nigerian government of turning to authoritarianism in an attempt to mask its growing failures.
For him, the current regime’s behavior mirrors a paranoid attempt to maintain control.
Effiong strongly condemned the arrest of Ajaero, demanding his immediate release.
The Erosion of Democracy
The human rights lawyer also lamented what he sees as the erosion of Nigeria's democracy.
According to Effiong, the so-called “progressive” government, which once claimed to champion democratic values, is now destroying the remnants of those very ideals.
He believes that the government’s use of force and intimidation to silence critics is clear evidence of its growing desperation.
An International Appeal
In his passionate call to the international community, Effiong urged for swift action.
He advocated for stringent sanctions against those responsible for undermining Nigeria’s democratic process, emphasizing the need for the world to take notice of what’s happening.
In his view, only external pressure can curb the authoritarian tendencies taking root in the country.
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