As the world observes 2023 Human Rights Day, Nigeria‘s human rights commitment remains questionable.
Development Diaries reports that the theme for this year’s Human Rights Day is ‘Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All’.
There have been frequent reports of extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary arrests by security forces, including the police and military, and allegations of excessive use of force in dealing with protests and civil unrest.
In December 2023, the Nigerian army launched an air strike on a religious gathering at Tudun Biri, Kaduna, killing over 100 civilians.
According to a Reuters report in December 2022, the Nigerian military had been allegedly carrying out a covert forced abortion programme in the northeast since 2013, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies without the women’s or girls’ knowledge or consent.
There are also concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression, including the arrests of journalists and activists who are critical of the government.
In 2022, ten journalists were detained and arrested. There were also reports of at least 42 journalists being attacked, harassed, beaten, and denied access to information during the 2023 general election, among other occurrences they encountered while reporting the polls.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently said it received over 6,000 cases of human rights violations during the 2023 elections.
Also, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) sanctioned 25 broadcast stations in March 2023, while 16 others were issued final warnings over the coverage of the 2023 elections.
High levels of gender-based violence (GBV), including rape and domestic violence, persist, with inadequate enforcement mechanisms to address the issue effectively.
According to the NHRC, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) accounts for more than 95 percent of the complaints it receives.
Large numbers of internally displaced persons due to conflicts, particularly in the northeast, are facing challenges such as inadequate living conditions and a lack of access to education and health care.
Many children are impacted by problems including child labour, child trafficking, and limited educational opportunities. Even though the Child Rights Act has been enacted in nearly all the states in Nigeria, violence against children in the country remains common.
Freedom House ranked Nigeria 43 out of 100 in its 2023 Freedom in the World report, describing the country as partly free.
Development Diaries calls for thorough and unbiased investigations into human rights violation cases, including the recent army killing of civilians in Kaduna State, and findings made public.
Also, federal and state governments must address not only security concerns but also respect the rule of law, ensure accountability for human rights violations, and foster a culture of respect for the rights and dignity of all persons in the country.
Photo source: ICIR