NIGERIA TODAY ONLINE FRIDAY MARCH 10, 2006

A report by the U.S. State Department has scored President Olusegun Obasanjo's government low on human rights, management of the economy and corruption. “The government’s human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses. Inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, and general economic mismanagement hindered economic growth. Much of the country’s wealth remained concentrated in the hands of a small elite. More than 70 per cent of citizens live on less than one dollar per day'' the 38-page report on Nigeria said.

The report accused the federal government of being an obstacle to the people’s right to change their government. The arrest and prosecution of Mujaheed Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force was criticised because it was a “politically motivated'' arrest. “There were politically motivated killings by the government or its agents. National police, army, and other security forces committed extra-judicial killings or used excessive force to apprehend criminals and to disperse protesters during the year, when crowds were perceived by police as possibly likely to become violent''.

''Police and the armed forces were instructed to use lethal force against suspected criminals and suspected vandals near oil pipelines in the Niger Delta region. Multinational oil companies and domestic oil producing companies often hired private security forces and subsidised living expenses for police and soldiers from area units assigned to protect oil facilities in the volatile Niger Delta region. Freelance and former security forces accounted for a portion of the violent crime committed during the year.”


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Source, please. Thanks a million in advance.

The Nigerian govt should equally score them (USA) low on the unlawful detention of hundreds at the Guatanamo bay prison.

I don't think the U.S or anyother country has the right to score Nigeria. While the report might be true, what purpose does it serve? and how does that help Nigeria in a positive way? Isn't it time we stopped talking and started acting? No country is perfect so why should one country judge another?

The pot calling the kettle black. The United States commenting on the human rights record of Nigeria, that is such a huge joke. Hello - "Gitmo"

Dauda:

The pot calling the kettle black. The United States commenting on the human rights record of Nigeria, that is such a huge joke. Hello - "Gitmo"

that is not the issue, the issue is this,

is what they said true? that is what we should be talking about,not gitmo.we can open new thread for gitmo if we want.
this is what the 3rd termers are asking for

toshmann:

that is not the issue, the issue is this,

is what they said true? that is what we should be talking about,not gitmo.we can open new thread for gitmo if we want.
this is what the 3rd termers are asking for

@ toshmann, I'm sorry for digressing. The issues raised are probably valid. My point is our internal problems should be raised, discussed and solved by us. They do not have any right to condemn our human right records. That is their way of sowing the seed of discord in developing nations and then coming in as big brothers to solve or create more problems. The third term agenda is ludicrous and it is a shame that OBJ keeps quiet and looks on as the nation is on the precipice of collapse because of this nauseous idea. The third termers are crazy and I'm sure Nigerians will resist such a rape of democracy. We don't need big brother watching over us as we do it though.

@ toshmann
On the issue of corruption, check the details of the gross mismanagement of funds in Iraq. I was watching 60 minutes a few weeks back and it was stated that loads of physical cash (millions of dollars) disappeared in Iraq under American watch. Also they pointed out a lot of bogus contracts that were awarded to connected people. Some of the contracts were not executed but all the funds related to the contracts were disbursed. These things (corruption and human rights violations) happens in the western world too. I'm not saying this in defense of the Kleptocrats in power in Nigeria. They should face the consequence of the law for corruption.

Dauda:

@ toshmann
On the issue of corruption, check the details of the gross mismanagement of funds in Iraq. I was watching 60 minutes a few weeks back and it was stated that loads of physical cash (millions of dollars) disappeared in Iraq under American watch. Also they pointed out a lot of bogus contracts that were awarded to connected people. Some of the contracts were not executed but all the funds related to the contracts were disbursed. These things (corruption and human rights violations) happens in the western world too. I'm not saying this in defense of the Kleptocrats in power in Nigeria. They should face the consequence of the law for corruption.

are u serious? , well, i'm not interested in american corruption but in my country. ant allegation of corruption in nigeria should be looked into and not changing the topic(no matter where the allegation came from)

You are absolutely right, we need to improve on all fronts in Nigeria. This is the time to do it.

The State Department, ey??    The same State Department run by the same Republicans whom not once, but twice,  voted in Bushwhacker? The worst president in American history by far. The same bush that was caught on tape downplaying the importance of the coming of Hurricane Katrina before it slammed into the gulf region killing loads of people? The same bush that hired an golf buddy, with no type of qualifications, for the job of leading one of the most strategic positions of national security in the entire country, FEMA?

The same Bush that said he invaded Iraq and killed nearly 40,000 of them because they had WMD's in the nation, which they didn't? The same Bush that hired some bum onto his staff,  in whom was just sentenced for frauding a whole bunch of retail stores out of thousands of dollars, when the boy makes over 100Grand a year from his government job.  The same Bush that tried to sale off the nation's most strategic sea ports to an Arab government, UAE, in whom has been found guilty of allowing funds to leak into the network of Al Qaeda just prior to the events of 9-11, and also has admitted to shipping parts to Iran for their nuclear plants, while also its believed by the CIA that they may have shipped to them nuclear material as well?

The same Bush that has just offered to give India nuclear aid/secrets, while at the same time asking Pakistan, India's enemy # 1,  to allow the US to run its hunt for Bin Laden from their nation?  The same bush whom has just proposed building a fence along the Mexican border and militarizing the area, while at the same time creating a task force to go around and gather up all the illegals in the nation, putting them in camps and then deporting them in mass? Perhaps the S.D. needs to first get our own house in order before worrying about someone else's, ya know? 

@ Hero.

I'm sorry dude, I thought this thread was about Nigeria scoring low on Human Rights, and not about President Bush and his policies. Dude you sound like one of those tree hugging, Animal Right, New age liberals. You know if you don't like Bush or his policies, you and your Hollywood friends can always move to Canada for all we care.

pintos,

I've read the article and must admit that I don't disagree with it's content. Having the right or not having the right to publish such articles is not the issue here in my opinion. I humbly suggest that Nigerian's should not take offense of such meaningless tables. The most important thing is to recognize that their continues to be a massive problem with corruption and basic human rights violations in Nigeria. Nigerian's themselves need to address the issue and continue to change their own destiny rather than complain about other nations. And yes it can be said the same about the UK and USA, is it on the same scale? I don't know but suspect not.

Would I think different if I was Nigerian and other countries were continually speaking ill of my homeland? I honestly don't know. Peace to all.

Txlonghorn:

@ Hero.

I'm sorry dude, I thought this thread was about Nigeria scoring low on Human Rights, and not about President Bush and his policies. Dude you sound like one of those tree hugging, Animal Right, New age liberals. You know if you don't like Bush or his policies, you and your Hollywood friends can always move to Canada for all we care.

, Damn, now that's just what I was talking about. These Repugnantcans forget where the hell they are!! They have the nerve to talk about dictatorships and corruption in other countries, all the while supporting the same illicit acts right her in this nation. Look at what that person just wrote. He practically insinuated that this nation is some kind of communist state, in where people cant openly express their dislike for those in whom are supposed to be leading their nation.

He practically proclaimed Bush as a dictator who can do whatever the hell he wants without ridicule and protest toward his vile doings. He's insinuated that those whom dare speak out against the Bush and his party Associates in gov. should be escorted out of the nation!!! Such talk goes against every scrap of democratic foundation in which this nation was built upon. Thanks for proving my point, Cowboy!!

Oh, and in my last post I forgot to mention that Bush also put forth a policy in which would allow the government to indiscriminately tap into peoples phone calls.

This nation is steadily and quickly regressing into shambles. Just think, it was only a few decades ago that a little event like Watergate sent Nixon out of office, and now Bush, having been involved in waaaaaaaaaay worst things than Watergate is barely getting a slap on the wrist, so to say, for his acts of incompetence. That just goes to show how far this nation has slumped.

@ Hero,

Dude you have too much time on your hands, lol. I never said any thing about escorting your black ass out of the Country, all I said was if you don't like the way the Republicans are running the country you always free to move up North that's democracy in action baby.

I wish I could come here and discuss politics with you,but for security reasons, and my personal safety I'll re-frame from this discussion. I'm an Active Member of the Armed Forces and not a Politician. And when you ever ready to move North, please give me a call, I'll personal come help you out OK bro.

You are now Officially IGNORED, have a nice life.

what where we scored high on in that report?

@ contributors,
this thread is about allegations against nigeria's human rights record etc, and not about bush,the republicans or the americans. why do we change topic whenever there is an allegation that we can't defend. like fani kayode does. is what they said about nigeria true? . that's what we should be discussing.

it shouldn't matter if the allegations were made by hitler or milosevic. what do we do about the allegations if they are true?

let us learn how to face facts in this country(nigeria) and not beating about the bush each time as we are wont to do.