A non-governmental and non profit national human rights advocacy organization, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), on Sunday, said it is gravely concerned about President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s increasing repression of civil rights and freedoms in Nigeria.
The group, which has its headquarters in Lagos, also expressed worry over the administration’s growing intolerance for dissent, its response to peaceful protests, and the treatment of demonstrators.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the group cited incidences of illegal arrests, inhumane detention conditions, misuse of counterterrorism and other Laws, financial repression, and suppression of free speech, among others, which it said have become rife under President Tinubu’s watch.
It also fingered the judiciary for being complicit in the denial of justice, enabling prolonged detention through granting frivolous applications for extended detention by law enforcement.
The rights group flayed the authorities’ misapplication of laws intended for counterterrorism, cyber security, and public order to charge peaceful protesters with serious offenses even when there is no evidence of conspiracy.
According to the group, the protesters arrested are subjected to financial restrictions, including frozen bank accounts and intercepted travel plans, limiting their ability to mobilize or escape persecution, while suspected protest organizers have also been placed on a security watch list, arrested at airports, and their travel documents seized, thereby preventing them from traveling.
These actions indicate a broader pattern of repression against civil rights and freedoms in Nigeria, raising concerns about the state of democracy and governance in the country.
The statement read in part; “Law enforcement agencies abuse legal procedures as well as the legally stipulated safeguards against abuse of discretionary powers. Many who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024 were subjected to arbitrary detentions without proper identification or cause by the arresting authorities, resembling abductions rather than lawful arrests. “Detained individuals face overcrowded, unsanitary, and dangerous conditions in police cells, amounting to torture and degrading treatment. For example, many persons detained at the NPF- IRT situated at the old Abbatoir (premises of the disbanded SARS), Abuja reported contracting serious skin infections, were poorly fed, and had no access to alternative proper feeding, resulting in many starving.
“Families are often uninformed and kept in the dark about the status, location, and conditions of detained individuals, in flagrant violation of the due process safeguards provided under the Police Act 2020.
“There is no doubt that the Tinubu government’s stance has contributed to a shrinking civic space, fostering fear among citizens and stifling dissent, potentially leading to political unrest.”
The RULAAC suggested the emplacement of measures to address inhuman detention conditions in Nigeria, including implementing laws aligning detention conditions with international human rights standards, upgrading detention facilities to ensure they are safe, and hygienic, providing timely medical examinations and treatment for detainees, establishing oversight mechanisms to monitor feeding practices and ensure compliance.
It further advocated training for law enforcement and detention staff on human rights practices, dignity, and respectful treatment of detainees, while clear channels should established for detainees to report abuse or poor conditions without fear of retaliation.
RULAAC further called on the Nigerian judiciary to commit to its crucial role in upholding justice, particularly concerning the treatment of individuals charged with offenses.
The Nigerian judiciary, it said, should critically scrutinize charges, limiting unjust detention extensions, and establishing reasonable bail conditions.
By exercising discretion responsibly, the RULAAC said the judiciary can enhance trust in the legal system and demonstrate commitment to human rights and justice.
The group called on the Tinubu administration to release all individuals arrested for participating in peaceful protests, drop all charges against all those charged with terrorism and other unfounded allegations, cease harassment of citizens exercising their constitutional rights, and commit to democratic values and practices.
