A human rights activist and lawyer, Barrister Blessing Joseph Afang, has faulted the President Bola Tinubu administration in terms of human rights.

Speaking to Sunday Independent on the first year of President Tinubu in office, Barrister Afang, President, the International Human Rights Protection Service Florida, USA, Nigeria Chapter (IHRPS/F), stated that a lot of human rights abuses have been going on in Nigeria.

The lawyer, a philanthropist and Founder, Jessejed Children Foundation, which also handles issues relating to child abuse, especially the girl-child, also said that Nigerian journalists are not free from government harassment and abuse.

Barrister Afang, Director for Women and Children Rights, International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), also pointed at the problems of the poor to access justice, harassment, intimidation, arrests and brutalisation of citizens and journalists within the period under review.

Responding to Sunday Independent’s question on the human rights record of the Tinubu administration within one year in office, Barrister Afang said: “I will attempt to examine both progress and ongoing challenges across various areas.

“On Freedom of Expression, journalists and activists often face harassment, intimidation and arrests, even though Nigeria has a vibrant media landscape.

“I think journalists and activists should be allowed to perform their duties free of government intimidation. The government attempt to regulate social media and suppress dissenting voices is strongly condemned.

“Police brutality and security forces remained a significant issue. The EndSARS movement in 2020 led to nationwide protests and called for accountability highlighting widespread abuses by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Nigeria. Has this call made any changes to this?

“Judicial system and Rule of Law in Nigeria is faced with consistent undermining of the rule of law and access to justice through corruption in the system, prolonged pre-trial detention and inadequate access to legal representation.

“Gender-based violence continued to be prevalent; efforts to combat these issues require stronger enforcement and societal change.

“A lot of human rights abuses is ongoing in Nigeria from the above mentioned to more, such as minority and indigenous people’s rights, conflict and displacement, economic and social rights, where as a matter of fact, poverty, unemployment and inadequate access to healthcare, education, lack of access to clean water, etc, impact the enjoyment of economic and social rights in our country today.”

However, a Lagos-based lawyer, Barrister Emeka Iheonu, said that although he has not really heard much about disrespect for human rights and non-adherence to the rule of law by the current administration, he would not be able to say much on what obtains in the different parts of the country as regards the issue of human rights.

According to him, “The main problem is that most Nigerians are poorer now than they were a year ago. The poverty level has tripled while the cost of governance has tremendously increased.”

In other words, he maintained that the high level of hunger and poverty resulting from insecurity and poor economy have been impacting negatively on the existence of citizens and their rights to enjoy good life.

Both lawyers called on the government at various levels to ensure that the citizens’ rights and the rule of law are not trampled upon by those on the corridors of power. (Sunday Independent)

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