Human Rights Abuse and Violations in Africa: The Nigeria’s Case

Human rights are inalienable, inseparable, and natural rights; freedoms and benefits enjoyed by humans. According to the United Nations, human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Many documents and laws were enacted in recognition and defence of human rights, among which are the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966; the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, 1981; and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.

At the national level, the Chapter IV (Section 33 to 44) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria discusses the following fundamental rights: rights to life; right to dignity of human persons; right to personal liberty; right to fair hearing; right to private and family life; right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; right to freedom of expression and the press; right to peaceful assembly and association; right to freedom of movement; right to freedom from discrimination; right to acquire and own immovable property; and compulsory acquisition of property.

Unfortunately, despite all laws and documents, human rights are still abused and violated. Well, we must not forget that there are limitations to certain human rights. Among them are: death sentence (limitation to right to life); convictions, curfew, and restrictions on movement (limitations to right to freedom of movement); laws against slander, libel, and sedition (limitations to right to freedom of expression); proscription on certain groups and secret societies (limitation to right to peaceful assembly and association); and banning of possession of some weapons, arms, ammunition (limitation to right to acquire and own property); among others.

Moving further, the most serious human rights violations in Nigeria currently are done by terrorists, bandits, militants, and killer herdsmen. Their heinous acts result in killings, bombings, forced evictions, mass displacements, and destructions of private and public properties. In an attempt to halt these acts, actions of security forces also result in other sets of human rights violations such as arbitrary arrests, accidental discharges, unjust detentions, killings, and torture.

Police brutality, unlawful bans, use of excessive force, and harassment of activists, peaceful protesters, and political opponents are common instances of human rights abuses. These abuses have denied citizens their civil and political rights. Journalists, investigators and media professionals were not spared too. A recent occurrence was in August 2020 when a former Aviation Minister; Femi Fani-Kayode verbally assaulted a journalist in Calabar, Cross River State. This is a serious abuse of the right to freedom of expression and the journalistic ethics.

Another serious instance of human rights violation is the attack on school children. Education in Nigeria, particularly the Northern Nigeria, is under attack. Between December 2020 and February 2021, more than three cases of abductions of school children were recorded. On 11th December, 2020, 344 schoolboys were kidnapped at Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. The second abduction took place on February 17, 2021 at Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, 42 persons were kidnapped. The third abduction which happened on the 26th of February, 2021, was the abduction of 279 girls from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State. Thank God, all the abductees have been freed and united with their families. It was reported that some students have not returned to school due to the attacks, and that may be an end of education of such children.

Child marriage (marriage before the age of 18) is another violation of human rights, but unfortunately, it is prevalent nowadays, most especially, in the Northern Nigeria. Child marriage denies girls their rights, and even drive them into experiences that they lack the capacity to withstand. Child marriage affects male children too. Another violation of child’s rights is child labour. Child labour and slavery exposes youngsters to hazardous acts that may affect them intellectually, physically, socially, morally, and mentally. It is even likely to interfere with their education and overall development. Other violations of child’s rights are child trafficking, child slavery, sexual abuse, excessive beating, child abandonment, street hawking, disregard for persons with disabilities, begging, and using of children for thuggery and hooliganism.

Banning the use of hijab by some educational institutions is a violation of the right of Muslim women to practise their religion. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18), the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (Section 38), and other similar human rights instruments allow every person to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance, but in many cases, authorities infringe on this fundamental right. Similar to this is the compulsion of (a) religious discipline(s) or practice(s) on students that do not believe in such belief.

Discrimination of persons on the basis of ethnic, region, and religion is another means of violation of human rights. Many of the killer herdsmen, for example, are known to be Fulanis, so that has given some persons the courage to regard all Fulani herdsmen as killers, and that is wrong, a violation of their rights. Criminalism is not the signature of a particular ethnic or region, and an entire ethnic group shouldn’t be characterised with it. As regards religious discrimination, there are instances where persons are molested and humiliated because of their belief or religious practice.

Attacks on members of the Nigeria Police Force is another instance of human rights violations. During the October 2020 protests against brutality of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force, some policemen were burnt alive, while some were even eaten after been burnt. We must not forget that those police officers are human beings like us, and that they deserve the respect and dignity we also deserve.

Unfortunately, many cases of human rights abuse and violations did not see justice due to lack or absence of independent and fearless judiciary, and influence of powerful individuals on judicial processes. The Government must hold everyone and even itself accountable and ensure that justice is served. Civil societies also have a role to play in preventing human rights violations. When human rights violations happened, either directly or indirectly, they should speak out and hold violators responsible. The international community too should adequately monitor governments and ensure the upholding, promotion, recognition, and advancement of human rights. Human rights violations are rampant nowadays, and should not be allowed to stay!

 

 

Abdullateef  Isa, writes from Ibadan; Southwest Nigeria.