• Death toll in Nepal uprising hits 72
• Calling for Nepal-scale protest against Constitution, says Opeseitan
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement vital reforms ahead of the 2027 elections to ensure credible polls and avert an uprising.
This was as authorities in Nepal announced an increase in the death toll from last week’s protests to 72, as search teams continue to recover bodies from government offices, houses and other buildings razed during the anti-corruption protests, the Health Ministry said yesterday.
The violence, described as the deadliest political unrest in decades, erupted when mainly young Nepalis poured into the streets of Kathmandu and other cities last week. The demonstrations forced Prime Minister Khadga Sharma Oli to resign last Tuesday.
Frank’s statement yesterday, which came after Gen-Z triggered protests in Nepal, emphasised that INEC, the judiciary, and security agencies, as well as other democratic institutions in the country, have critical roles in upholding the rule of law and preventing similar unrest.
He also urged the APC to stop attacking, intimidating and harassing opposition leaders in the country, adding: “This bold and positive action should not stand alone. As the nation looks ahead to the 2027 general elections,
INEC must replicate this same spirit of independence and courage in the overall conduct of the polls.
“Now that the new leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been recognised by INEC, we urge Nigerians to repose confidence in and support it as the party that would change Nigeria for the better and ensure freedom and prosperity for all. We also urge Nigerians to be prepared to vote and defend their votes in 2027.”
However, Olabode Opeseitan, a public affairs analyst, said the devastation witnessed during the recent Nepalese protests serves as a stark warning for Nigeria but should not be replicated in the country.
He said: “The right to protest is a core constitutional guarantee under Section 40, but applies only to peaceful, lawful assemblies. Once a protest descends into violence or is hijacked by actors with intent for arson, looting, or sabotage, it loses that shield and becomes a criminal act under Nigerian law.
“Recent Nigerian history, notably the EndSARS protests, shows how quickly noble causes can be undermined: BRT buses, police stations across the country, and forensic/ICT labs in Lagos and Kano were burned, and businesses targeted and destroyed.”
According to him, simply advocating such actions is already a punishable offence, regardless of the original intention or the social media context in which such calls are made.
He asserted: “While the right to protest remains foundational for democracy and must be protected, it carries a duty to reject violence and respect the line between dissent and destruction. Those who mobilise, encourage or celebrate protest movements must weigh the tragic precedent of Nepal and the bitter lessons of EndSARS: rhetoric matters, and so does legal accountability.
“Anyone tempted to use Nigeria’s present hardships as justification for Nepal-scale protest must remember: Nigerian law holds every citizen responsible for upholding peace.”
Reuters reported that security forces responded with tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowds. Still, protesters torched several state institutions, including the Supreme Court, parliament, police posts, politicians’ homes and private businesses.
“Bodies of many people who died in shopping malls, houses and other buildings that were set on fire or attacked are now being discovered,” health ministry spokesperson, Prakash Budathoki, said.
The ministry’s figures showed that at least 2,113 people have been injured in the unrest, with the toll rising from 51 reported on Saturday.
Following Oli’s resignation, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was sworn in yesterday as interim PM, becoming the first woman to lead the Himalayan nation. She is tasked with overseeing a new parliamentary election scheduled for March 5, 2026.
Karki announced that the government would compensate the families of those killed with one million rupees (about $7,100) each and provide free medical treatment to the injured.
She began work in a temporary office after the PM’s building was set on fire during the demonstrations. “We must now engage in rebuilding the destroyed structures,” Karki told senior government officials, state television reported.
