By Afolabi Sotunde
ABUJA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Pro-government activists in
Nigeria on Monday attacked civil society protesters who were
demanding the release of people they say are illegally detained,
a Reuters witness said.
About 60 attackers descended on the group of around 40
protesters outside the government's National Human Rights
Commission in the capital Abuja, sending them running for
safety.
The protesters were planning to deliver a list of demands to
the Commission, including the release of prisoners such as
activist Omoyele Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters, an online
news organisation. The attackers targeted a leader of the group, Deji Adeyanju,
and chased him before beating him. Police did not immediately
intervene when the attack began.
A police spokesman did not immediately respond to calls and
text messages.
Adeyanju, a human rights activist who was imprisoned for
more than two months this year, was taken to hospital for
treatment.
Isa Sanusi, a spokesman with Amnesty International, which
helped organised the protests, said the incident showed that
Nigerians "no longer have the right to come out and express
themselves peacefully without being attacked".
A government supporter, Ibrahim Kabiru Dala, said: "We are
here to commend the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and
the security personnel ... we will not allow any other foreign
mercenaries or opposition to come and sabotage the government."