The Digest:
Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has strongly criticized Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, for his public call to 'shoot on sight' individuals caught vandalizing public infrastructure. In a statement on social media platform X, Yesufu argued that such rhetoric from a government official undermines the rule of law, justice, and the right to a fair hearing. She contended that the alleged vandals are themselves victims of systemic failures and "administrative depravity." Yesufu warned that normalizing extrajudicial violence could ultimately threaten even those in power, stating that without legal safeguards, "you and those you work for would also have been shot."
Key Points:
- The condemnation highlights a fundamental clash between authoritarian law-and-order rhetoric and established principles of democratic justice and human rights.
- It frames criminal acts like vandalism within a broader context of socio-economic desperation and government failure, challenging the official narrative.
- Yesufu's response serves as a direct check against the normalization of violent, extrajudicial language from high-ranking state officials.
- The exchange underscores the deepening tensions between civil society watchdogs and a government perceived as increasingly intolerant of dissent or failure.
- It raises critical questions about the state's duty to protect all citizens' rights, even when prosecuting crimes, versus populist calls for swift, severe punishment
Sources: Daily Post, Premium Times, TheCable
Tags: Aisha Yesufu, Bayo Onanuga,
