Nigerian police denied permission for a demonstration in the capital, Abuja, by a local rights group that wanted to show support for protesters in Egypt who are demanding the end of President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule.
“Now is not the time for this,” Umar Shehu, the deputy police commissioner in charge of operations in Abuja, said by phone today. The demonstration was due to take place in front of the Egyptian Embassy.
The Civil Rights Congress called the protest to urge Nigeria and West African nations to take a “clear position” on the unrest in Egypt, the group’s leader, Shehu Sani, said by phone. The police’s decision to stop the march violated fundamental human rights, he said.
“We will seek legal opinion from our counsel and then we’ll take the next step,” he said. “We won’t do the protest at all cost because we can’t guarantee the safety of our people.”