• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

Nigeria has since returned to the days of the jackboot, as human rights abuses are commonplace

Narratives and counter narratives

The brutal murder of the then leader of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) and environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa in 1997, over his agitation for the respect for the rights of the Ogonis, perhaps, depicts the extent fundamental human rights of Nigerians was violated and abused during the brutal reign of the military.

One of the setbacks of the military regime is often the suspension of the constitution and individual rights.

Disobedience to Court order, illegal detention, disappearance of people, and wanton killings are common place. Many are of the opinion that more than ten thousand Nigerians lost their lives between 1983 and 1999 in the conflicts that characterised these regimes.

Despite criticism of the human rights record of the Obasanjo administration by some sections of the country; it is generally agreed that the rights violations in his administration could not be compared to the ones being perpetrated during the military regimes.

The administrations of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan tried their best at protecting the fundamental rights of Nigerians.

One of such laudable moves by the late President, Yar’Adua was the granting of amnesty to the Niger-Delta militants in 2009 in order to bring peace to the region.

Yar-Adua’s decision to grant amnesty to the militants rather than engage them in a military confrontation which would have led to loss of innocent lives and disruption of properties was widely applauded.

However, it is generally believed that the Jonathan administration perhaps, deserves equally commendation for upholding justice and tolerance of opposition.

One of such is the 2012 fuel price increase strike and protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Civil Societies in major cities across the country.

Since the assumption of office in 2015 by Muhammadu Buhari, it is believed that the respect for the fundamental human rights of Nigerians is at its lowest ebb.

In the last four years, the Buhari administration has displayed lack of tolerance for protest and opposition against his administration and its policies. Disobedience of Court Orders by government agencies has become pronounced.

In recent time, several individuals perceived to be critics of the current administration and its policies have been arrested and charged with frivolous allegations.

Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki is still being detained in prison despite repeated Court Orders for his release. Also, Omoyele Sowore human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) was arrested by the DSS as a result of his plans to mobilise people in Lagos and many parts of the country for a protest tagged ‘Days of Rage’ to demand a better Nigeria.

The government subsequently charged Sowore for treason and is pushing ahead for his prosecution. However, up till now, despite Court Order for his release Sowore is still in DSS custody.

Perhaps, the most worrisome of such cases is the continued detention of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

El-Zakzaky was arrested in December 2015 after some of his followers clashed with soldiers in Zaria. Over 100, 000 people are said to have been killed in series of protests that have resulted in clashes between the group and security agencies over the continued detention of their leader.

Speaking in interview with BDSUNDAY, John Ananaba, lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), however, berated the administration for its poor human rights record and continued refusal to obey Court Orders.

Ananaba bemoaned the continued violation of lives of Nigerians and killings, stressing that it had become alarming.

“If you ask me, the human record of this administration is poor; in most cases, they have refused to obey Court Orders, it is not the best. People are being killed every day and the President is just calling meeting of Security Chiefs without us knowing what they are discussing. Eighteen Local Government Areas is under the control of insurgent Boko Haram in Borno; people can’t move because they are afraid they would be kidnapped. The government needs to do more, for now it has failed,” he said.

The escalating security situation across the country has also made inter-state journeys increasingly risky and difficult for Nigerians.

In recent time, cases of kidnapping and wanton killings have become pronounced across the country; this has further marred the human rights record of the Buhari administration.

Supo Ojo, lawyer and former Civil Liberty Organisation, CLO president, said the current administration was not doing enough to protect the lives and rights of Nigerians.

“The government is not doing enough; are you telling me they don’t know what to do to stop these killings and kidnappings? These are rights violations.

“Nigerians can’t go to street to express. They said they would deploy CCTV to the highways; how far have they gone with the plan? Look, Court Orders are not being obeyed; that sends a dangerous message and I don’t think it is a legacy they want to leave. I think they should be more proactive in terms of taking steps to protect the rights of Nigerians,” Ojo said.

 

Iniobong Iwok