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Tag: NHRC

  • Nigeria police kill more than coronavirus – Report

    Nigeria police kill more than coronavirus – Report

    The Nigeria Police Force have killed more people than coronavirus since the government imposed a lockdown in parts of the country to deal with the pandemic, the National Human Rights Commission has found.

    So far, 12 people have died from Covid-19, while 18 have been killed by police trying to enforce lockdowns and other measures, the Nigerian rights group said.

    Its report said it had so far received and documented more than 100 complaints in 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states including Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, where a two-week lockdown was recently extended.

    Other parts of the country have set a variety of restrictions which have seen the police and army called out to enforce them.

    NHRC said members of the public had called their special hotline and sent in videos showing the violations of human rights.

    Nigeria, which has a population of about 200 million people, has reported 407 cases of coronavirus.

    Nigerian security forces have not responded to the NHRC’s claims.

  • JUST IN: Ex-NHRC Chairman sues commission over plan to subject staff to secrecy oath

    Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu has sued the commission over its alleged plan to compel its staff to subscribe to an oath of secrecy/confidentiality.
    Odinkalu, in a suit he filed on Monday before the Federal High Court, Abuja argued that the policy violates the staff’s rights to freedom of expression guaranteed under the Constitution and other instruments.
    The rights activist contended that the NHRC and its Executive Secretary are not empowered by any known law to direct the commission’s staff to subscribe to an oath of secrecy/confidentiality, the observance of which would violate his (the applicant’s) right to freedom of expression guaranteed under Section 39(1) of the Constitution, among other provisions.
    He is praying the court to among others, declare the plan to administer the secrecy oath on the NHRC staff as unlawful and a violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights.
    Odinkalu is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction, restraining the respondents from proceeding with the plan to subject staff of the NHRC to oath of secrecy/confidentiality.
    Listed as respondents are the NHRC, its Executive Secretary, Anthony Ojukwu, the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NHRC branch) and its Chairman, Comrade Efem Atu.
    He stated, in a supporting affidavit, that “by an internal memo or circular dated 3rd July, 2019 and signed by one Ibe Obidigwe on behalf of the 2nd respondent, the 1st and 2nd respondent, directed all Heads of Departments/Units/State Coordinators of the 1st respondent (NHRC) to distribute copies of an oath of secrecy declaration to staff of their various departments/units etc to subscribe and return same to the 1st Respondent‘s Human Resources Management Department.
    “A copy of the oath of secrecy declaration document to be subscribed by the staff of the 1st respondent was attached to the said internal memo or circular dated 3rd July, 2019.
    “In the desperate bid of the 1st and 2nd respondents to achieve their purpose of compelling or getting the staff of the 1st respondent to subscribe to the said oath of secrecy, had a meeting with the 3rd respondent (the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NHRC branch) on 5th July, 2019 and enlisted the cooperation of the 3rd respondent to get its members to subscribe to the said oath of secrecy.”

  • Buhari approves 5 new appointments for NDDC, NERC, NHRC

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of five new executives for National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said the president made the appointments following their confirmation by the senate.

    According to him, Mr Anthony Ojukwu from Imo State is the new
    Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) with initial term of five years.

    “Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who hails from Ondo State, is the new Executive Director, Niger Delta Development Commission with initial term of four years.

    “Hon. Chika Ama, Nwauwa also from Imo State has been appointed the new Executive Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) also with initial term of four years.

    “Mr Nwogu N. Nwogu from Abia State is the new Executive Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with initial term of four years.

    “And Prof. James Momoh from Edo State is the new Chairman,
    Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) also with five years initial term.”

    The president directed that the appointments should take immediate effect.

     

  • Produce names of Nigerians unlawfully detained by Police, Reps tell NHRC

    The House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights on Thursday mandated the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to furnish it with the list of Nigerians unlawfully detained by the police.

    The Committee also urged the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to curb the rising incidences of human trafficking across the shores of Nigeria.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Edward Pwajok (Plateau-APC), gave the charge when the two agencies appeared before members of the committee to defend their 2018 budget proposals.

    The lawmaker also emphasised the need for the NHRC to push for the domestication of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act in all the states of the federation.

    Responding to the demands of the agencies for an increased budgetary allocation, Mr. Pwajok said that it was necessary to heed the call to enable NHRC discharge its responsibilities effectively.

    “From our interactions with both agencies, we are satisfied with their performances in 2017. The problem they have is the challenges of inadequate funding.

    “They have so much work to do, but if they do not have the money, they cannot discharge their responsibilities.

    “But to the extent of the money that was released to them, they were able to discharge their responsibilities.

    “We are going to make a case for an upward review of the money that should go to particularly the Human Rights Commission; they have requested for more funds that was allocated in 2018 budget.

    “They have a lot of work to do and issues of human rights are on the front burner of international discourse.

    “We discovered that the international community has given our Nigerian Human Rights Commission category A status, that means we are doing our best to make sure that we respect human rights in Nigeria.

    “If they are not properly funded, then we may go to Category B or C and that will have serious implications.

    “Recently, the U.S. Government approved the sale of military hardware and jets to Nigeria, it means that they are satisfied with our respect for human rights.

    “The agency should submit the list within one week. It is an issue of writing to the Force Headquarters.

    “It shouldn’t take them too long, I expect an immediate response because there are crime records in all police stations in Nigeria.

    “There are people who are arrested and kept beyond the constitutional timeline. That way, the police would be kept on their toes.

    “They would know that people are also watching. You don’t detain Nigerians unduly,’’ Mr. Pwajok said.

    Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary, NHRC, Oti Ovurawa, requested for funds for effective delivery.

    She said that N6.8 billion budgeted for 2018 would not be sufficient.

    According to her, some of the projects to be executed by the commission in 2018 will include upgrading of facilities in the headquarters, zonal offices, upgrading of the ICT centres and purchase of utility vehicles.

    Others are publicity of the commission’s activities, public enlightenment campaigns against the abuse of human rights as well as establishment of centres for missing persons.

    She also disclosed plans by the commission to establish a human rights funds to carter for the needs of victims of unlawful detentions, domestic violence and training for personnel.

    She also said that the commission had collaborated with donor agencies and development partners, including security agencies to provide technical support in the activities of the commission.

    Similarly, the Director, Finance and Administration, Hassan Ndanusa, who represented the Executive Director of NAPTIP, urged the committee to increase its budgetary allegations from N2.5 billion.

    Mr. Ndanusa said the request was necessary considering the enormous responsibilities being faced by the agency, especially now that trafficking in persons had become a global challenge.

     

  • Buhari writes Senate, seeks confirmation of Ojukwu as Executive Secretary of NHRC

    President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate to request confirmation of his appointment of Mr. Anthony Ojukwu as Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

    President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the letter to senators at the plenary on Tuesday.

    The letter read, “‎In accordance with provisions of Section 8 of the National Human Rights Commission Act 2010, I have the pleasure to present Mr. Anthony Okechuwku Ojukwu for confirmation as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission by the Senate.”

     

    Details later…