By Chioma Iruke
Human rights organization, Amnesty International, has accused the Nigerian government of not taking adequate measures to protect its citizens and their rights.
According to Amnesty’s Country Director, Ossai Ojigho in a statement marking its 60th anniversary, Nigeria has had a long history of human rights abuses and not much has been done to curb it since 1967.
“Not much has changed about human rights in Nigeria since 1967 and the concerns remain flagrant disregard for human rights, failure of authorities to protect the people, threats to human rights including the right to freedom of expression, suppression of dissenting voices, and lack of accountability.
“Incessant killings and the stunning failure of the authorities to end them and bring suspected perpetrators to justice have been and continues to be a threat to the right to life in Nigeria,” Ojigho, said
Amnesty International faulted the continuous clampdown on protesters, stating it as a major violation of people’s rights.
“Protest is not a crime and Nigerians must be able to assemble peacefully and express themselves without fear.
“We are concerned that the civic space is shrinking and the fear of violence by security forces and sponsored thugs are undermining the right to peaceful protest and having a profound impact on other human rights,” he added.
Amnesty claimed that all the police reforms were ineffective, stating that the government has failed “in its constitutional and international human rights obligations to ensure access to justice for victims” of rape and abuses.
“All the claims of reforming the police turned out to be ineffective. Despite the systemic human rights violations perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) no one has been held accountable. Nigeria’s law enforcement and judicial system must be empowered to deliver justice,” it added.
