Nigeria’s fight against human rights violation attracts international recognition

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Bem Angwe, has said Nigeria’s efforts at ensuring the protection of human rights has attracted international recognition.

According to the NHRC boss, Nigeria has been granted ‘A’ status by the International Coordinating Committee (ICC) of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs).

The ICC is a peer body that co-ordinates, regulates, accredits and grades NHRIs in relation to their level of compliance with Paris Principles.

Angwe told a press conference that the ‘A’ status was a confirmation that the country’s implementation of its international and domestic human rights obligations are in compliance with international, regional and national instruments, acceptable standards and best practices.

According to him, it implies that government recognises and respects the independence of the NHRC, and does not interfare in its operations.

He said it also indicates that the commission has been discharging its responsibilities in terms of human rights promotion, protection and enforcement.

The NHRC boss said the coordinating body recommended a review of statutory provisions for the appointment of governing council members of the commission, saying that the process, as it is now, is not transparent enough to guarantee an impartial and democratic exercise that will ensure the appointment of core human rights experts into the council.

The body also recommended adequate funding of the NHRC in view of the size of the country and its population and the variety of human rights issues to be addressed.

“Let me also inform you that this year, the commission has crossed the one million threshold in its complaints status. As at the end of November this year, the complaint status stood at 1, 179, 510,” he said.

In another development, the commission on Tuesday, received a petition titled: “Gruesome murder of Hon. Aondosoo Wilfred Tondo and the prosecution of suspected culprits: A petition for justice”.

In the petition dated December 2, 2016 filed by the counsel for the deceased family, S, A Orkumah, the late Tondo was allegedly shot dead in his bedroom in August this year.

It stated that Police investigation into murder, led to the arrest of three suspects, who were arraigned on a holding charge before a Chief MagistrateS’ Court in Makurdi and remanded at the Makurdi Medium Security Prisons.

The petition alleged that, “There are strong political forces surreptitiously making efforts to thwart and frustrate the prosecution of the suspects despite the overwhelming circumstantial evidence linking them to the murder of Hon. Aondosoo Wilfred Tondo, a politician in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.”