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June 4, 2014

Nigeria Backs Down on Protest Ban; Generals Reportedly Found Guilty of Boko Haram Ties 
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The Nigerian government has reversed an order banning demonstrations for
the return of more than 200 missing schoolgirls. The police commissioner
in the capital Abuja had announced protests were no longer allowed over
fears they could be hijacked by violent extremists. But protesters
flooded Nigeria's high court in defiance. Femi Falana, an attorney for
the "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign threatened to challenge the ban in
court.

Femi Falana: "We have the court of appeal restraining the police
perpetually from preventing any group of Nigerians to demonstrate and
protest peacefully. What Mbu (commissioner of police, Abuja) has done
yesterday is not only illegal, it's contemptuous and contempt is a
criminal offense and I'm talking of contempt committed, 'ex facie
curiae'. It's a criminal offense, we are also lodging a complaint to the
attorney general of the federation to have Mbu prosecuted."

A report in the Nigerian media today says ten military generals have
been found guilty of aiding the Boko Haram, the militant group behind
the girls' kidnapping and scores of other attacks. The Nigerian
government has denied the claim.

 

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