Rights violation: Group urges African Commission on Human Right to adopt resolution on Nigeria
Ayodele Olalere
The Access to Justice has urged the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) to adopt a resolution on Nigeria following the deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
In its statement dated November 20, 2020, the group appealed to the ACHPR, which is currently having a session, to take specific actions on Nigeria.
The group lamented the response of Nigerian government to the #ENDSARS protests, which was staged against police brutality and systematic acts of violence and corruption perpetrated by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police Force.
It cited and decried the overbearing military involvement in the protests as well as the alleged extrajudicial killings following from that involvement.
“The use of significant military force in the shooting appears to be targeted at sending a strong and chilling message to those taking part in protests across Nigeria, insinuating to them that the government would not tolerate the expression of political speech that may threaten its grip on power,” the statement stated.
The group also accused the government of continued intimidation, arrests, and prosecution of citizens, alleging faces in the ENDSARS protests are being harassed, arrested, and prosecuted.
“Some other persons who participated in the protests have had their bank accounts frozen and some have had their travel Passport seized. Additionally, Nigeria’s independent media have also been a victim of government’s intimidation with some media houses penalized with heavy fines for disseminating information of the protests.
The threats and actions undertaken by the Nigerian government have had a chilling effect on citizens, fostering a sense of palpable fear as well as escalating already high social tension within the civil society,” it added.
It therefore urged the Commission to “adopt a Resolution on Nigeria while keeping the human rights situation in Nigeria under close observation.”
“Access to Justice urges ACHPR to call on the Nigerian government to make good its promise to reform the police since it had acknowledged the need for wide-ranging reform of the force while acceding to the #ENDSARS demands.
We also requested ACHPR to demand, from the Nigerian government the release of all those who have been arrested and detained as well as end the harassment of #ENDSARS protesters. It also urged the Commission to call on the Nigerian government to end the use of military forces to police protests and ensure that Nigeria carries on with its commitment to ACHPR on rights-based policing.”
