Falana cautions protesters against advocating for a coup

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, on Tuesday, urged protesters to steer clear of “undemocratic forces” seeking to exploit the nationwide hunger protest to advocate for a military coup, according to Channels Television. Falana’s remarks follow the display of Russian flags by some protesters in Kano State on Sunday, who chanted in Hausa, “We don’t want bad government.”

Falana, emphasizing Nigerians’ rights to peaceful protest as guaranteed by sections 39 and 40 of the constitution, stated, “While we support the right of the #EndBadGovernance protesters, we must call on them to distance themselves from undemocratic elements who are using the peaceful protests to promote violence or campaign for a military coup.”

He further pointed out that advocating for a military coup or displaying the Russian flag—known for supporting unconstitutional regime changes in Africa—represents a serious misuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Nigerian government. Falana stressed that legitimate protests against the country’s hardships should not be transformed into a campaign for an unconstitutional change of government.

He also warned those engaged in illegal efforts to promote military rule, stating that they could face charges of treasonable felony under section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.

Falana urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to “review the neoliberal policies promoting poverty and hardship in the country,” which he said would “make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive” to Nigerians.