President Muhammadu Buhari is failing to live up to his promises to ensure respect for human rights, to obey the rule of law, and tackle corruption. Since assuming office in May 2015, Mr. Buhari’s government has consistently flouted constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights. The growing crackdown on peaceful dissent, and the signing into law of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 to squeeze the civic space and impose restrictions on civil society suggest that brutal repression will only escalate under his watch.

There was a further intensification of the repression of human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly, in October when #EndSARS protesters participating in demonstrations to end police violence and corruption were reportedly harassed, intimidated, attacked and killed in several parts of Nigeria.

Since the national protests, authorities have arbitrarily arrested and detained many of the leaders of the protests, blocked their bank accounts, and otherwise restricted their human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly & movement.

It’s not the first time Mr. Buhari’s government has repressed human rights. Authorities continue to flagrantly suppress human rights and disobey the rule of law. For example, journalist & leader of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, is still being restricted to Abuja, despite the decision by the UN Working Group on the Arbitrary Detention declaring his detention and prosecution unlawful.

Amnesty International has, in several reports, documented cases of gross violations by the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), including corruption, torture and other ill-treatment. Many of these cases are neither investigated nor prosecuted. Similarly, horrific cases of police violence and corruption are reported daily by victims before judicial panels set up by state governors to probe allegations of human rights violations by SARS.

For example, the Lagos State judicial panel of inquiry has heard a story of Ndukwe Ekekwe, who was allegedly pushed from a two-storey building by officers of SARS. Mr. Ekekwe has had to use a wheelchair since then.

In another case, Chukwu Vincent told the panel how his cousin, Basil Ejiagwa, who is now dead, suffered loss of memory and eventually developed a brain tumour after he was tortured by SARS operatives in May 2014. A Federal High Court in Lagos in April 2019 reportedly ordered the authorities to pay Basil and his family N40 million as compensation but the order has so far been ignored.

…Mr. Buhari has to publicly recommit to human rights, the rule of law, and the fight against corruption. He should make it clear that his government won’t tolerate impunity for repression and human rights violations and abuses, not only in words but in action.

The Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and human rights treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party guarantee the rights to life, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and prohibit the criminalisation of dissenting voices.

Yet, authorities routinely crackdown on human rights, and security agents use unlawful force to stop peaceful protests.The failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is an attack on human rights, and on the victims who have endured horrific abuses.

Judicial review is what protects people’s rights from the overbearing might of the state but the government’s disdain for the judiciary and the rule of law is underlined by its repeated disregard for court orders.

That is why, for instance, many in Nigeria have trouble taking seriously the repeated promises of Mr. Buhari to respect human rights, obey the rule of law, and tackle corruption. Mr. Buhari’s government is continuing repression and ignoring the rights of the people. And it is getting away with it.

It shouldn’t be like this. The truth is that Mr. Buhari has failed to fulfil his promises to the people.

Human rights provide people with invaluable protections against the power of the state. Human rights include the rights to speak freely, not to be arbitrarily detained, to protest peacefully, and so on. They are the bedrock of a healthy and corruption-free society.

As former South African president, Nelson Mandela, once stated: “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity”. Therefore, Mr. Buhari has to publicly recommit to human rights, the rule of law, and the fight against corruption. He should make it clear that his government won’t tolerate impunity for repression and human rights violations and abuses, not only in words but in action.

Mr. Buhari and his government ought to learn from John Locke’s dictum that “Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins”. Rather than continuing to repress human rights, the government should show that it can genuinely tackle systemic corruption and advance people’s well-being.

Mr. Buhari and his government should immediately lift the restriction on Mr. Sowore, and allow him to re-join his family; drop bogus charges against activists & peaceful protesters, and immediately and unconditionally release all those still being detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights.

Mr. Buhari should immediately send back CAMA 2020 to the National Assembly so that this draconian law can be repealed and brought into conformity with the country’s international human rights obligations. And he should instruct his attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) to obey all court orders, including those obtained by anti-corruption watchdog, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN).

Mr. Buhari and his government ought to learn from John Locke’s dictum that “Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins”. Rather than continuing to repress human rights, the government should show that it can genuinely tackle systemic corruption and advance people’s well-being.

Civil society groups, human rights defenders and activists should continue to put pressure on the government to ensure the realisation of human rights to which Nigeria has subscribed, and to end the general erosion of rights.

Now is the time for Nigeria’s international partners to speak out on the ongoing repression and crackdown on human rights in the country, and to push for the government to respect and protect the rights of its own people.

Doing this will boost the brave people trying to speak up for human rights in the prevailing tough environment in the country. It is essential for freedom, justice, dignity and accountability in Nigeria.

Kolawole Olaniyan, author of Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa, is legal adviser at Amnesty International’s International Secretariat, London.

“Most men can survive adversity but if you want to test the character of a man, give him power.” -
Abraham Lincoln.

“Those entrusted with power have over time converted it to tyranny.” -Thomas Jefferson.

"..Tyrants have always shown some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them..." -Voltaire.

“Whereever the law ends, tyranny begins." -John Locke

"...When tyranny and oppression comes into the land,it will be in the guise of fighting crime." -James Madison(US President 1809-1817)

“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity." -Nelson Madiba Mandela

Mynd44:
Now that you know the Nigerian government (irrespective of president) is the original "we will kill you and nothing will happen" go and make sure you pay more attention to House Of Rep members and Senate members.Only them can hold government accountable

Racoon:

Not the present rubberstamp NASS that was already an appendage of the executive even before they were selected and inaugurated.Meanwhile they copied and adopted their own impunity, lawlessness and tyranny from the top.

Mynd44:
Now that you know the Nigerian government (irrespective of president) is the original "we will kill you and nothing will happen" go and make sure you pay more attention to House Of Rep members and Senate members.

Only them can hold government accountable

GavelSlam:
Rubbish.Since the day Buhari was sworn-in in 2015, we've had inter- lopers & saboteurs trying to test the power of the presidency by creating chaos, writing incendiary messages, stoking ethnic and religious divisions, all in the bid to ensure he reacts in what they would like to term as an abuse of human rights.

GavelSlam:
Rubbish.
Since the day Buhari was sworn-in in 2015, we've had interlopers and saboteurs trying to test the power of the presidency by creating chaos, writing incendiary messages, stoking ethnic and religious divisions, all in the bid to ensure he reacts in what they would like to term as an abuse of human rights.

Oftentimes, the president overlooks the antics of these anarchist which often irritates his supporters because it sometimes emboldened the campaign of calumny embarked upon bu these usurpers.

6 years after and these people don't know when to seek new ventures.

They try in vain.

Racoon:
"....When it comes to rule of law, sensitive Nigerians will agree that the Buhari's government has no iota of respect for the law.No respect for court injunctions.

There is brazen disobedience for due process, stifling of press freedom,arrest of oppositions on trump up charges and abuse of human rights through the use of coercive apparatus of the state.Millions of Nigerians are living in fear because of state intimidation. We have return to the days of military junta....."

http://saharareporters.com/2020/09/05/femi-adesina-mammoth-failure-administration-should-knock-you-all-coma-600-years-kalu

Racoon:

Not the present rubberstamp NASS that was already an appendage of the executive even before they were selected and inaugurated.Meanwhile they copied and adopted their own impunity, lawlessness and tyranny from the top.

CodeTemplar:
If your salary is above 25m a month I am sure you will want to avoid whatever can threaten that salary. The problem isn't as simple as paying more attention to House of rep members or Senate members.

Stalwert:


Keep paying attention to the president not your useless representatives nor governors nor chairmen. PMB to most of you people is your councillor, LG CHAIMAN, state assembly member, gov, rep and Sen.

But note, the only constitutional way of holding government to account is the NASS, any other means that is extra constitutional will have PMB supporters to contend with.

Stalwert:
They stole government money then turn around and say they are being haunted for being opposition. By fire by force we will retrieve out yams stolen from us by the fantastically corrupt pdp you worship!

Stalwert:
Keep paying attention to the president not your useless representa- tives nor governors nor chairmen. PMB to most of you people is your councillor, LG CHAIMAN, state assembly member, gov, rep and Sen.

But note, the only constitutional way of holding government to account is the NASS, any other means that is extra constitutional will have PMB supporters to contend with.

Racoon:
Abeg this is not an IPOB member that is talking before unnecessary bashing will start.

Stalwert:
Despite all of mumundi cownu diatribes against people of Northern and South Western origins in most case questioning their humanity did you ever open a single thread to rebuke his ......

Racoon:
The rot always starts from the top.

Racoon:
Sorry! I was not a Nnamdi Kanu fan from the beginning but later events proved that the man's beliefs and convictions of Nigeria as a failed state under this cursed government were right.

See the effects of the senseless carnage the insecurity the northern region cum govt allowed to fester uncontrollably while their foot soldier are obsessed with political domination of others.

Stalwert:
Like it did during Jonathan's reign of locust or is it your useless theory only works when PMB is involved?.......

CodeTemplar:
keep shut.

Racoon:
Yes! There were any imaginable ills of governance during Jonathan's time but even majority of the northern populace that antagonize him them agreed today that Nigeria was better for it then than now.e.g. the insecurity issue

Unlike the dullard that came on board thereafter.Same people that saw him with the prism of ethnicity and parochial sentiments are today regretting same even asking him to resign.

Stalwert:
[s][/s]

They stole government money then turn around and say they are being haunted for being opposition. By fire by force we will retrieve out yams stolen from us by the fantastically corrupt pdp you worship!