By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has come down heavily on the Federal Government, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Chief of Army Staff, over what it described as a shameful, lawless, and dictatorial clampdown on peaceful Nigerians who gathered in Abuja to demand justice and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The Association said the disgraceful show of force witnessed in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday was proof that the Nigerian government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is descending deeper into militarized tyranny, where peaceful dissent is treated as treason and citizens are ruled through fear instead of justice.

HURIWA said it was both “laughable and tragic” that an entire capital city could be locked down simply because a handful of young Nigerians said they would march peacefully to ask for justice. “Why is the government this afraid of its own people?” the group asked. “What is it hiding? Only leaders with unclean consciences fear the sight of citizens expressing themselves. Only dictators, tyrants, and looters of public funds are terrified of seeing hungry, frustrated Nigerians pour into the streets to speak truth to power.”

The rights group described as “insanity in uniform” the deployment of hundreds of soldiers, armored vehicles, and police patrol teams across major routes in Abuja, turning what should have been a peaceful civic action into a tense military siege. It said the reckless action of the security agencies crippled economic and commercial activities across the city; banks were shut, filling stations stopped dispensing fuel, commuters were stranded, and private businesses lost billions of naira in a single day.

HURIWA blamed the chaos on the paranoid conduct of the Police and the Army, accusing both institutions of creating unnecessary panic and tension. “The protesters were not armed, not even with a stone,” it said. “Yet live ammunition and tear gas were fired at harmless citizens. The government must explain why such unconstitutional brutality was unleashed on people whose only ‘crime’ was demanding justice.”

The Association also faulted the security advisory issued by the United States Embassy warning its citizens to stay away from the protest venues, describing it as “a foreign conspiracy against Nigeria’s democracy.” It questioned why a sovereign government would allow itself to be guided by what it called “a baseless, imported panic message” to justify domestic repression. “Did Nigerians invite Americans to the protest? Did they plan to storm the US Embassy? That advisory was totally irrelevant, yet the government used it as an excuse to flood Abuja with troops. It smacks of complicity,” HURIWA declared.

The group warned that the government’s growing intolerance for peaceful protests is a dangerous provocation that could one day spiral out of control. “If you keep pushing citizens to the wall, they will fight back,” HURIWA cautioned. “No government can suppress the people forever. Hunger and injustice will always find a voice. Nigeria is not a military barracks; it is a democracy; at least, it is supposed to be.”

It accused the Tinubu administration of ruling with fear and intimidation, saying the clampdown exposed an embarrassing level of insecurity within government circles. “Even if protesters marched toward Aso Rock, they could never breach its walls. That place is impenetrable and heavily guarded. So, what exactly is the government afraid of? The truth?” HURIWA asked.

The group demanded that the Federal Government immediately halt the use of soldiers for crowd control, release all arrested protesters without delay, and pay compensation to business owners whose operations were crippled by the security lockdown. It also urged the National Human Rights Commission and international human rights bodies to launch independent probes into the violent disruption of the protest.

HURIWA further warned that Nigeria’s democracy is being choked by a leadership that mistakes citizens’ cries for justice as threats to its survival. “This is not the democracy Nigerians fought for,” the statement said. “When a government uses live bullets on its own people for daring to ask questions, it has lost moral legitimacy. Those who are clean do not fear accountability. It is those with blood and corruption on their hands who tremble at the voice of the people.”

The Association reiterated that peaceful protest is a constitutional right, not a privilege. It said the continued militarization of civic spaces will only deepen public resentment and erode trust in government institutions. “No government that silences its people can ever claim to be democratic,” HURIWA said. “Nigeria’s rulers must stop this war on citizens and start governing with conscience.”

When Transparency Becomes Luxury: INEC and ₦1.5B FOI Controversy

By Chike Walter Duru

When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently demanded a staggering ₦1.5 billion from a law firm for access to the national register of voters and polling units, many Nigerians were left bewildered. The request was made under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011 – a law designed to make public records accessible, not to commercialize them. INEC’s justification, couched in legalese and bureaucratic arithmetic, raises a deeper question: Is Nigeria’s electoral umpire genuinely committed to transparency and accountability?

At the heart of this controversy is a simple statutory principle. Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act clearly stipulates that where access to information is granted, the public institution may charge “an amount representing the actual cost of document duplication and transcription.” The framers of this law envisioned modest fees; not financial barriers.

INEC, however, appears to have stretched this provision beyond reason. By invoking its internal guideline of ₦250 per page, the Commission arrived at the colossal figure of ₦1,505,901,750 for 6,023,607 pages – supposedly the total pages needed to print the entire national voters’ register and polling unit list. It is a mathematical exercise that may be sound on paper, but absurd in context and intent.

Let us be clear: transparency is not a privilege that comes with a price tag. It is a fundamental right. The Freedom of Information Act exists precisely to ensure that institutions like INEC cannot hide behind bureaucracy or cost to deny citizens access to information that belongs to them.

INEC’s justification, however elaborate, falls flat against the law’s overriding provisions. Section 1(1) of the FOI Act affirms every Nigerian’s right to access or request information from any public institution. More importantly, Section 1(2) establishes that this right applies “notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, law or regulation.” This means that no internal guideline, regulation, or provision of the Electoral Act can supersede the FOI Act, within the context of access to information.

By relying on Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022 and its own “Guidelines for Processing Certified True Copies,” INEC seems to have elevated its internal processes above a federal statute – a position that is both legally untenable and administratively misguided.

Civil society organisations have rightly condemned INEC’s response. The Media Initiative Against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) called the fee arbitrary and unlawful, while the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) described it as a deliberate attempt to frustrate legitimate requests under the FOI Act. These reactions are not misplaced. Charging ₦1.5 billion for public records is tantamount to weaponising cost – turning what should be a transparent process into a pay-to-play system.

The Attorney-General of the Federation’s FOI Implementation Guidelines pegged the standard charge for duplication at ₦10 per page. Even at that rate, printing the same documents would not amount to anything close to ₦1.5 billion. Moreover, in an age of digital data, it is difficult to believe that the only way INEC can share information is through millions of printed pages.

It is worth noting that the National Register of Voters is a digital database – already compiled, stored, and backed up electronically. The polling unit list is also digitised and publicly available. What, then, justifies this astronomical fee?

Democracy thrives on openness. The credibility of any electoral body depends not just on the conduct of elections, but also on the degree of public confidence in its processes. If the cost of accessing basic electoral data runs into billions, how can civil society, researchers, or ordinary citizens participate meaningfully in democratic oversight?

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections in Africa (2017) are explicit: election management bodies must proactively disclose essential electoral information, including voters’ rolls and polling unit data. Nigeria, as a signatory to this framework, is obligated to promote – not restrict access to such information.

By placing financial barriers in the way of public access, INEC risks undermining not only its own credibility but also Nigeria’s broader democratic integrity. Transparency should not be a privilege of the rich or the powerful. It should be a right enjoyed by all.

This incident presents an opportunity for reflection and reform. INEC must immediately review its internal cost guidelines for information requests and align them with the FOI Act and the Attorney-General’s Implementation Guidelines. More importantly, it should embrace proactive disclosure by publishing the national register of voters and polling units in digital formats that are freely accessible to the public.

There is no reason why information already stored electronically should require billions to access. Doing so not only contravenes the spirit of the FOI Act but also erodes public trust in the Commission’s commitment to open governance.

Access to information is the lifeblood of democracy. It empowers citizens to hold institutions accountable and ensures that governance remains transparent. INEC’s ₦1.5 billion charge is not merely excessive; it is a dangerous precedent that could embolden other public institutions to commercialize public data and silence scrutiny.

If Nigeria must advance its democratic gains, the culture of secrecy and bureaucratic obstruction must give way to openness and accountability. INEC should lead that transformation, not stand in its way.

The Commission owes Nigerians not just elections, but the truth, transparency, and trust that sustain democracy.

Dr. Chike Walter Duru is a communications and governance expert, public relations strategist, and Associate Professor of Mass Communication. He chairs the Board of the Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria. Contact: walterchike@gmail.com

ICON
Hon. (Chief) Amobi Godwin Ogah, a Distinguished Nigerian and An ICON
By IGNATIUS OKOROCHA
Hon (chief) Amobi Godwin Ogah is a member of the 10th House of Representatives,representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State and
Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control.

Born on the 16th of June, 1980, in the peaceful town of Onuaku, Uturu, in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, Hon. (Chief) Amobi Godwin Ogah is a distinguished Nigerian lawmaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and grassroots mobilizer.

Before he joined mainstream politics, Hon Ogah was the Executive Director of seven subsidiary companies under Pauli-Mama Group of Companies.

His passion for service and development has consistently marked his journey, from private enterprise to the hallowed chambers of Nigeria’s National Assembly.

A proud son of Abia State, Hon. Ogah currently represents the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, where he also serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Control—a critical role at the intersection of health policy and human development.

LEGISLATIVE IMPACT
Since assuming office, Hon. Ogah has made visible and measurable contributions to national discourse and local development. He has:

Sponsored impactful bills and motions, advocating for better healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, education reform, and rural development.
Championed community-oriented policies that directly benefit his constituency.
Consistently used his voice to demand transparency, equity, and good governance.
DEVELOPMENTAL INITIATIVES
Hon. Ogah believes that leadership is not just about laws—it’s about lives. This belief drives his infrastructural and social interventions across Isuikwuato and Umunneochi, including:

Construction and rehabilitation of rural roads for better access to markets and services.
Donation of learning materials and school infrastructure to underfunded communities.
Provision of portable water and solar-powered street lighting in rural areas.
Healthcare outreaches in partnership with NGOs and public health agencies.
EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT
A firm believer in the transformative power of education, Hon. Ogah recently awarded a full academic scholarship to Miss Okechukwu Mmesoma Josephine, a brilliant indigene of Isuochi, Umunneochi LGA. This scholarship covers tuition, books, and living expenses—an investment in both a future leader and the community at large.

NOTABLE QUOTE
“I was elected to be a voice for the people and a bridge to their dreams. My mission is simple: to serve, to speak, and to deliver.”
— Hon. (Chief) Amobi Godwin Ogah

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
For his impactful leadership, Hon. Ogah has received several commendations, including:

Outstanding Legislator Award (House Press Corps, 2024)
Humanitarian Service Award (Abia Youth Assembly)
Recognized as one of the Top 10 Performing First-Time Lawmakers in Nigeria (2025)
PERSONAL LIFE & VALUES
Hon. Ogah is a man of faith, family, and strong ethical grounding. He is married and blessed with children. Known for his humility and accessibility, he maintains close ties to his constituents and is often seen engaging directly with community leaders, youths, and elders alike.

He is also a Chief in his community(Agunecheibe 1 of Uturu)—a title he earned through years of service, philanthropy, and dedication to communal well-being.

LOOKING FORWARD
With unwavering commitment, Hon. Amobi Godwin Ogah remains focused on his core vision: building a constituency where opportunity, infrastructure, and justice work for all. Whether in the chambers of the National Assembly or the streets of Umunneochi and Isuikwuato, his presence continues to inspire hope and progress.