Lawyer Dele Farotimi says Nigeria is only pretending to be a democracy due to its clampdown on protests.
He accused the government and judiciary of suppressing citizens’ rights and enabling executive control.
Civil rights lawyer Dele Farotimi has accused the Nigerian government of operating under the illusion of democracy, saying that its approach to peaceful protests and judicial rulings shows a disregard for citizens’ rights.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Farotimi said that the consistent clampdown on public demonstrations and the court’s endorsement of such actions prove that Nigeria is only “pretending” to be democratic.
“In a democracy, there should never be a need for a police permit before people can protest,” he said. “The police should be informed to provide security, not to restrict citizens. When a court begins to curtail peaceful assemblies, it is clear that we are only mimicking democracy.”
His comments followed the Monday protest in Abuja organized by activist Omoyele Sowore and others advocating for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The demonstrators defied court orders and police warnings, marching with placards before security operatives dispersed them with tear gas.
Farotimi condemned the notion of seeking police permission to hold demonstrations, calling it “completely unheard of” in any free society. He stressed that law enforcement agencies are public servants whose duty is to protect, not suppress, citizens’ rights.
“It is absurd that Nigerians must seek permission from those paid to serve them before they can gather peacefully,” he said.
The lawyer also criticized the judiciary, accusing it of surrendering its independence to the executive arm of government. According to him, court rulings in politically sensitive cases often reflect government influence rather than justice.
“I’m sorry to say, our judiciary is no longer fit for purpose. It does exactly what the executive wants and no longer serves justice,” he said. “An order is only valid if it is lawful.”
Farotimi insisted that only those who engage in violence during protests should be arrested. He shared his personal experience of being prosecuted under what he described as a “non-existent law,” which he said exposed the rot in the legal system.
He further expressed disappointment in the government’s unwillingness to listen to public concerns. “I don’t join protests anymore because they’re often directed at a government that does not listen. The Nigerian state is deaf,” he lamented.
Recalling the 2020 #EndSARS protests, Farotimi argued that the government’s reaction, simply renaming the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to SWAT, was proof that reforms were superficial. “They changed the name to SWAT and now to RRS, but the behavior remains the same,” he said. “Nothing really changes because the system itself is resistant to progress.”
