Nigeria: PLAC Addresses Human Rights Issues

By Development Diaries
June 1, 2022

The Policy and Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in Nigeria has called for the introduction of human rights training for civil engagement for both new recruits and already serving security personnel.

The nonprofit also urged the government of Nigeria to speedily implement the 20 percent salary increase for the police as announced in December 2021, in order to avoid a situation where disgruntled persons are serving as internal security operatives.

PLAC made the calls in its new report on the state of human rights in Nigeria. The report, titled, Quarterly Nigeria Human Rights Report, covered the period of January to March 2022.

The PLAC, which identified patterns of human rights abuses in the country, said in the report that freedom of expression was under threat.

Although Section 22 of Nigeria’s constitution protects freedom of expression and opinion, there are many laws that make it possible to obstruct the work of journalists in the country.

‘Journalists, social media influencers and activists who express any divergent views or question government policies appear most at risk’, the report said.

‘Although the ban on the Twitter platform has been lifted, it should rouse the minds of citizens on the lengths that an intolerant government can go to suppress free speech.

‘This should also be one of the considerations for citizens in selecting their leaders as the 2023 general elections approach.

‘Human rights protection in Nigeria is abysmal and efforts to seek redress can be met with obstacles, breeding frustration for the complainants who may sometimes be left without any remedy in the end’.

Africa’s most populous country is ranked 129th out of 180 countries in RSF’s latest press freedom index. According to the ranking, journalists in the country are often watched, attacked, arbitrarily arrested and even killed.

Freedom House ranked Nigeria as ‘party free’ in its 2022 Freedom in the World study of political rights and civil liberties, with the West African country earning 43 points out of a possible 100.