Title: Citizens' remonstrance's constitutionality in Nigeria and the role of social media: a metaphorical appraisal of #EndSars police brutality protest

Authors: Obinna Johnkennedy Chukwu

Addresses: Department of Mass Communication, Edo State University Uzairue, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract: This paper examines citizens' remonstrance's constitutionality in Nigeria, as well as, the relevance of social media to the advancement of protest, amongst others. The study, extensively, perused and analysed constitutional and statutory legal regimes pertaining to right to protest; and its adherence; and forayed into the position of social media in the advancement of protest and right to protest, utilising the #EndSar protest's account as metaphor for the assessment. The study concludes, amongst others, that citizens' right to remonstrance or protest exist in Nigeria's laws, but that the greatest challenge to the right is governments and the security agencies' disobedience to, and breach of the law; as well as, the introduction of political consideration in the application of the law. In view of the above, the paper recommends, among other things, that the National Assembly (Legislature) should repeal the Nigerian Public Order Act, and in its stead, enact a law that prohibits inhibition of protest; and that clearly expressed the right to protest and how protests should be organised.

Keywords: citizens; remonstrance; constitutionality; metaphorical; Nigeria; #EndSars protest.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLAP.2022.122120

International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2022 Vol.8 No.2, pp.117 - 127

Received: 04 Jun 2021
Accepted: 28 Oct 2021

Published online: 08 Apr 2022 *

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