President Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari reinstates commitment to Human rights
protection
The Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata , Esq., has said that the
government is highly determined to demonstrate to the world that
Nigeria is a not jungle where anything is permissible, but a
responsible member of the comity of nations committed to the
protection of the fundamental rights and freedom of its citizens
including the foreigners living within its territory.
Apata disclosed this during the National Stakeholders Workshop
to Review and Validate the Treaty Reports on Convention on The
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Convention for the
Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (CED) and
the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, on 16th May,
2019 in Abuja.
The SGF represented by the Director, International and
Comparative Law Department, Justice Stella Anukam, mentioned that
efforts were made to solicit support to ensure that the Federal
Ministry of Justice has the mandate to carry out the review even if
it runs out of time. He commended the unflinching support of the
United Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for
graciously rising to the challenge and providing Nigeria with two
competent Nigerian Consultants to assist in the preparation of the
treaties.
He stated that Nigeria has a duty under international law to
periodically carry out review of its implementation and application
of some notable international treaties, particularly treaties on
international human rights and fundamental freedoms.
According to him ‘’this is done as a way of carrying out
self-assessment on how far and well the country has gone in
implementing her obligations incurred in the various treaties that
it is a party to’’.
“This year, Nigeria is expected to carry out the Review on the
following treaties, amongst others; Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities (CRPD); Convention for the Protection of
all Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CED); and Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights”, he explained.
He added that the above mentioned treaties all have monitoring
mechanisms that are geared towards ensuring that State Parties
fulfill their obligations of faithfully implementing the provisions
of the treaties. The reporting process by government all over the
world to identify problems and shortcomings encountered in the
process of application and implementation of the treaties.
He emphasised that the reporting process by State Parties enable
them to properly coordinate a response at the international level
and to benefit from the experience of international experts. It
creates an opportunity for national dialogue, raises awareness
among the populace and enlists assistance from the civil society
groups.
He disclosed that Nigeria was expected to have made this
periodic report since 2018, but due to paucity of funds arising
from irregular and inadequate allocation of funds to the Ministry,
it was impossible to carry out the periodic review as expected in
2018.
Apata commended the efforts of Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, and Mr.
Yakubu Abdulrahman who worked tirelessly in preparing responses to
the list of issues (LOI) on the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights adopted by the Human rights Committee on Enforced
Disappearances (CED) and drafting reports to the Committee on
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CED) and the Committee on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CSCR).
He also commended the Director, International and Comparative
Law Department, and members of staff for their coordinating efforts
that have resulted in the success of the review process of this
year.
In her presentation, the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of
Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo explained that Nigeria as a
member of many international Organisations has ratified several
international and regional instruments that preserve and protect
human rights.
She further stated that Nigeria has ratified all core
international human rights treaties and has equally ratified many
regional instruments within the African Union and the economic
community of West African States (ECOWAS).
In attendance were National Human Rights Commission, Ministry of
Women Affairs, Police Service Commission, Civil Liberty Group,
Independent Electoral Commission, Legal Aid Council, Army and
Immigration.
Ogundoro Modupe
Deputy Director