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Nigeria under civil rule, not democracy – Falana

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Rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN), on Saturday, urged the Federal Government to dialogue with secessionists groups in the country.

Falana, who made the call at the 25th Anti-Corruption situation room organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) at Ikeja, Lagos, Falana asked Nigerians to keep up the fight for the country to return to democracy.

According to him, “Nigeria is currently under civilian rule and not democracy.”

He said the separatist groups have justifiable reasons to demand secession in line with Article 20 of the United Nations.

The lawyer decried President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to security agents to shoot on sight any individual find in possession of dangerous weapons, saying possession of arms does not attract the death penalty.

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He said: “We, therefore, call on him (Buhari) to enter into dialogue with the separatists and restore confidence in them about the country. They want a better life, improved welfare, good security and want to move freely without being kidnapped or killed.”

“In the 22 years that Nigeria had returned to civil rule, former military men had been in power most of the period, and this explained why the country is in this position today.”

He, therefore, charged the civil society organization and citizens to continue with the struggle, adding “I urge us to continue, we don’t have democracy yet.”

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