Demonstrators react as Nigerian police fire tear gas canisters during the End Bad Governance protest in Abuja on 1 August 2024. (Kola Sulaimon/AFP)

Nigerian lawmakers are considering a bill that would impose punishments of up to 10 years in jail for actions deemed subversive, a move that critics see as an attempt to crack down on dissent following a wave of anti-government protests.

The proposed Counter Subversion Bill, currently in its early stages of debate, introduces a 10-year jail term for refusal to recite the national anthem, a five-year jail term for erecting an “illegal road block”, and a three-year sentence for “disobeying constituted authority”.

It comes in the wake of nationwide protests against economic reforms that have escalated a cost of living crisis.

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They ended abruptly following a deadly police response that resulted in at least 23 deaths.

Critics see the proposed law as an attempt by the government to suppress dissent and limit public demonstrations.

The bill is sponsored by Abbas Tajudeen, speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representative, the lower arm of Parliament. It now moves to the floor for a second reading, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s legislative process. 

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