Fact Check: Is It True UN Would Intervene In #EndSARS Protests After 30 Days?

CLAIM

Last weekend, a message was making the rounds on social media, detailing the period the United Nations needs, before it allegedly intervenes in a country where protests have been going on.

The post stated that the United Nations needs a 30-day period before it can intervene.

It presumably started with a tweet by popular influencer, Harvey Funmilayo, a United Kingdom-based Nigerian doctor.

“I just heard according to UN Constitution any protest that reaches 30days will make UN intervene in that country. The Nigeria govt knows this. Many young people don’t know it. EXCEPT the govt makes visible tangible immediate changes, #EndSARS protests MUST GO ON. Tell others,” Funmilayo tweeted.

Although, Funmilayo deleted the tweet later, claiming that he saw the information in a now deleted tweet by Falz, a Nigerian music artiste, and one of the major voices leading the protest.

Funmilayo claimed to have seen the information on Falz’s page, but wasn’t sure anymore, since the tweet was deleted by the singer.

“I will send you the actual source. It’s not Falz or me. I don’t want to post it here before it starts getting retweets again.” He tweeted

See the tweet below:

https://twitter.com/DrOlufunmilayo/status/1317586554555162627

However, Funmilayo has over 200,000 followers on Twitter and consequently, the information spread like wild fire.

Falz also who is a leading figure in the protest, has more than 1.7 million Twitter followers.

The post was shared by many social media users, who advocated for widespread participation in the ongoing #EndSARS protest.

THE #ENDSARS PROTEST SAGA

Following the recent public outcry against SARS, Mohammed Adamu, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), disbanded SARS and President Muhammadu Buhari said the dissolution of SARS was a first step in improving the operations of the police.

However, the protesters refused to leave the streets, saying more concrete steps must be taken in reforming the police.

The major force behind the protest has been the social media, as coordination and dissemination of information are done there, but are all the information on the protest correct?

VERIFICATION

First of all, the UN has no “constitution”, but a charter.

Under article 2 (7) of the purposes and principles of the organisation, as contained in the charter, the UN would not intervene in matters of domestic jurisdiction of any country.

“Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll,” the document reads.

The UN would only intervene in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security, and these are being dealt with by the organisation’s security council.

Despite that the UK-based medical doctor has deleted the tweet, the post is still going round across many platforms, and consequently, many people still hold that belief.

VERDICT

Therefore, the claims which circulated that the UN will intervene in Nigeria or any country where a protest extends for a 30-day period is FALSE.

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