Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has condemned the attack on women protesters near the under-construction Government House in Ilorin, describing the incident as unacceptable and contrary to democratic norms.
The governor, who spoke through a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, distanced his administration from the assault, insisting that the state government was not involved in the incident.
“Peaceful protest is a democratic right. The women are within their rights to express their views,” the governor said, adding that the attack “should never have happened under any circumstances.”
AbdulRazaq called on the police to identify and prosecute those responsible, stressing that the government would not tolerate violence against citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
He further assured residents that the state government remains committed to tackling insecurity, noting that only days earlier, he personally supervised the passing-out parade of newly recruited armed forest guards tasked with flushing out kidnappers and bandits from forested areas of the state.
“This is in addition to heavy deployment of security forces and other investments aimed at safeguarding our communities,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, a Kwara-based human rights advocate, Dr. Bilkisu Oniyangi, has urged the state government to ensure that all perpetrators involved in the flogging of the women protesters are brought to justice.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, Oniyangi described the incident as a grave violation of constitutional and human rights, arguing that the women were peacefully protesting the rising cases of banditry and kidnapping in Ifelodun Local Government Area when they were allegedly attacked by suspected thugs.
She faulted security agencies for failing to protect the protesters, noting that a video of the incident circulating online clearly showed women being flogged.
According to her, the protest was lawful and protected under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of peaceful assembly, as well as Section 34(1), which safeguards human dignity and prohibits degrading treatment.
Oniyangi also cited Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, warning that the state bears responsibility not only for violations it commits directly, but also for those it fails to prevent.
Describing the incident as a moral failure, she said there was no cultural, religious or legal justification for the public humiliation of women, calling for a transparent investigation and firm guarantees that future peaceful protests would be protected.
Hammed Shittu
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