Jelili was accused of public disturbance with his performance of 14th January 2016 at Ejigbo community in Lagos. The arrest, detention and ongoing trial is a flagrant abuse of the artist’s fundamental human right as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Banjul Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the Belgrade Recommendations on the Rights and Status of the Artist, the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, all of which Nigeria is a party to. It also shows the level of impunity with which some powerful individuals in the society use the police and magistrate courts to oppress individuals exercising their freedom of expression through artistic creations. This should not be allowed to continue!
CORA/Arterial Network Nigeria and the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) have formally submitted a joint petition to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos CP Fatai Owoseni, the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice Barrister Kazeem Adeniji and the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Mr Akinwunmi Ambodefor their urgent intervention to drop the criminal charges instituted against the artist.
It is Atiku today, it may be anybody else tomorrow! We invite you to support this campaign against injustice, oppression and malicious prosecution of an innocent citizen by enemies of freedom of artistic expression.

Add your voice! Please click the link below to sign the petition to drop the charges against Jelili Atiku
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/petition-to-drop-criminal-charges-against-artist