HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: HURIWA CALLS FOR END TO IMPUNITY

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: HURIWA CALLS FOR END TO IMPUNITY

POSTED BY ADEWOLE MARTINS ON DECEMBER 9, 2015 IN NEWS | LEAVE A RESPONSE

Onwubiko said for the government to tackle the abuses of human rights, it must first put an end to “the vicious circle of impunity and indiscipline” among the operatives and hierarchies of the law enforcement agencies

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to intensify its fight against impunity in the country.

The National Coordinator of the association, Emmanuel Onwubiko, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja in commemoration of this year’s Human Rights Day.

Onwubiko said for the government to tackle the abuses of human rights, it must first put an end to “the vicious circle of impunity and indiscipline” among the operatives and hierarchies of the law enforcement agencies.

He said: “Torture must be criminalised and stiffer sanctions applied whenever law enforcement operatives are indicted for the application of torture on persons in conflict with the law.

“This is because the Nigerian Constitution says any person facing any charge in court must be presumed to be innocent until the law court has found or reached a contrary determination.”

The coordinator said the most dominant human rights violation in Nigeria was the infringement on the right to life.

Onwubiko said: “The widespread use of torture by security operatives against detainees is in total violation of the fundamental human right to the dignity of the human person.

“This kind of violation most often lead to the death and permanent injury of the victims.”

Onwubiko also called for the comprehensive reorganisation and reformation of the National Human Rights Commission and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

While supporting calls for the overhaul of the judiciary, Onwubiko alleged that the Nigerian judiciary was corrupt, weak and largely compromised.

Onwubiko said the financial and operational independence of the judiciary was critical to checking human rights abuses.

He said: “Filing of human rights related cases must be liberalised and made affordable even as the time for determination of human rights enforcement proceedings are fast tracked.”

He said anti-graft agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission must be reformed and credible persons appointed to run the agencies.

He pointed out that the right to health and the right to earn decent living wages were violated with “reckless abandon”.

According to Onwubiko, child rights “are violated in monumental dimension and not all the states have domesticated the Nigerian Child Rights Act 2003”.

He said: “Early marriage and baby factories have become frightening.

“There are widespread cases of child trafficking and the enslavement of Nigerian children but no government agency has done much to bring the respect of the Nigerian Children to the front burners of public debate.”

The coordinator said the high level of unemployment was also a huge human right breach because without a decent and living wage, it was difficult to fulfil the whole human rights provisions enshrined in the constitution.

Onwubiko said the human rights of the aged, elderly and the physically challenged were violated also with reckless abandon.

He said: “Almost all banking facilities in Nigeria have no special facilities to enhance smooth transaction by the physically challenged and the elderly. Nigeria has poor social protection schemes.”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that December 10 every year is set aside by the UN as Human Rights Day.

The day aims to promote awareness of human rights issues around the world and highlight efforts of the UN to improve global human rights conditions.

NAN.