The Youth Ambassador of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), Richard Solomon, has called for the release of Aminu Mohammed who was detained for accusing the First Lady of Nigeria, Aisha Buhari, of “feed fat on poor citizens” money.
The ambassador referred to Mohammed’s detainment as a breach of his fundamental human right.
“Human rights are sacred and sacrosanct and must not be trampled upon by anybody regardless of their position in the society. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) retirees the above position of the United Nations Charter on Human Rights when it guarantees in Section 35, the right of every person to his or her personal liberty, except where such liberty is encumbered or restrained or controlled by the due process of the Law, I.E. the execution of a Court Order or judgment,” he said.
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He also added, “In line with the imports PC this constitutional provisions, it is quite apparent that there was neither a valid cause of the arrest nor the application of the due process of law.”
Solomon revealed that it is the right of every citizen to criticize without fear, especially when it is directed at the government.
“Citizens should be free to criticize government authorities on social media platforms. In fact, government’s conducts aimed at impeding constructive criticism are an infraction of constitutionally guaranteed rights. Criticism is something which preserves the true essence of democracy in a country,” he said.
The youth ambassador promised that the organisation would do everything in its power to secure Mohammed’s release.
