By Sabiu Abdullahi
Professor Wole Soyinka, a distinguished Nobel laureate, has vehemently condemned the brutal attacks on #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters and journalists by security forces.
In a scathing statement, Soyinka denounced the use of live bullets and tear gas as a reprehensible response to peaceful protests, warning that such actions would only escalate violence.
Soyinka expressed deep concern over the government’s mishandling of protests, noting that the deployment of lethal force would only perpetuate a cycle of resentment and reprisals.
He urged security agencies to adopt alternative methods of managing protests, citing the example of the French police during the YELLOW VEST movement, who refrained from using firearms against demonstrators.
The Nobel laureate called on the government to break away from the colonial legacy of suppressing civic dissent and instead embrace a more enlightened approach to protest management.
He revealed that the continued reliance on lethal force would only lead to further unrest and potentially catastrophic consequences.