11.03.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Overview on different forms of human rights violations committed by government officials ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2007") [ID 19448]

"The government's human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses. The most significant human rights problems included the abridgement of citizens' right to change their government; politically motivated and extrajudicial killings by security forces; the use of excessive force, including torture, by security forces; vigilante killings; impunity; beatings of prisoners, detainees, and suspected criminals; harsh and life threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention; executive influence on the judiciary and judicial corruption; infringement on privacy rights; restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and movement; domestic violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse and child sexual exploitation; societal violence; ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination; and trafficking in persons for the purposes of prostitution and forced labor."

Document(s): Open document

31.01.2008 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Nigerians are denied their basic human rights (government corruption, political and intercommunal violence, police torture, impunity of crimes against citizens) ("World Report 2008") [ID 22214]

"Widespread government corruption, political and intercommunal violence, police torture and other abuses continue to deny ordinary Nigerians their basic human rights. During 2007 Nigerian government actors including the police, military, and elected officials committed serious and persistent abuses against Nigerian citizens with near-complete impunity. Hopes for improvement in the human rights situation were dashed when the April 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections were marred by fraud, violence, and intimidation so pervasive as to destroy all confidence in the results. The declared victors were Umaru Yar’Adua as president, and the ruling People’s Democratic Party with a landslide parliamentary majority."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Operations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) were limited ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19890]

"The NHRC, which the government tasked with monitoring and protecting human rights, strove to improve its credibility with the general public and NGO community as an independent monitoring body. The NHRC had zonal affiliates in each of the country's six political regions. Since its inception, the NHRC's operations were limited by insufficient funding. The commission also lacked judicial authority and could only make nonbinding recommendations to the government."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

In June government removed Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Bukhari Bello ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19891]

"In June the government removed NHRC Executive Secretary Bukhari Bello. There was widespread condemnation of the move, which observers believed was intended to punish the NHRC for its previous protests against unfair detentions."

Document(s): Open document

26.02.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Candidates in Nigeria's April 2007 elections should address the country's pervasive human rights problems and propose needed reforms; many of Nigeria's most widespread and serious abuses have not been addressed yet ("Put Human Rights at Heart of Election") [ID 18882]

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Overview on human rights situation ("World Report 2007") [ID 18965]

"Since the end of military rule in 1999 Nigeria has enjoyed the longest stretch of uninterrupted civilian government in its history as a nation. While this period has seen some improvements in respect for civil and political rights, government actors including the police, military, and elected officials continued to commit serious and persistent abuses against Nigerian citizens. The lack of political will to improve the country’s poor human rights situation and ensure accountability for abuses not only threatens to undermine the fragile gains made since the end of military rule but also poses daunting challenges to holding credible and violence-free elections in 2007."

Document(s): Open document

01.2007 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Head of National Human Rights Commission sacked in reprisal for criticism of government actions ("World Report 2007") [ID 18984]

"In June the head of the federal government’s National Human Rights Commission was summarily sacked in reprisal for his public criticism of various government actions, a move that threatens to destroy the legitimacy and value of the institution by muzzling it."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Overview of human rights violations in Nigeria ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46036],  [ID 15663]

"The government's human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses. Inadequate infrastructure, endemic corruption, and general economic mismanagement hindered economic growth. Much of the country's wealth remained concentrated in the hands of a small elite. More than 70 percent of citizens live on less than one dollar per day. The following human rights problems were reported: abridgement of citizens' right to change their government • politically motivated and extrajudicial killings by security forces and use of excessive force • vigilante violence • beatings of prisoners, detainees, and suspected criminals • harsh punishments by Shari'a courts • impunity • harsh and life-threatening prison conditions • arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention • executive interference in the judiciary and judicial corruption • infringement of privacy rights • restrictions on freedom of speech, press, and assembly • limited freedom of religion and movement • domestic violence and discrimination against women • female genital mutilation (FGM) • child abuse and child prostitution • communal violence and ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination • trafficking in persons for purposes of prostitution and forced labor • restrictions on workers' rights • child labor"

Document(s): Open document

10.2003 - Source: UK Home Office

President Obasanjo created the Oputa Panel to investigate human rights abuses between January 1966 and 28 May 1999 ("Country Report - October 2003") [#17332],  [ID 14895]

"6.1 The Abacha period in Nigeria, November 1993 until 8 June 1998, was marked by severe human rights abuses. During his period in office, Abacha's successor General Abubakar took several steps to improve the poor human rights record in Nigeria. He also released most of the political prisoners in Nigeria.

6.2 President Obasanjo created a panel to investigate human rights abuses between January 1966 and 28 May 1999, and to identify the people responsible. The panel has been sworn in under Justice Oputa, and has received approximately 10,000 petitions. The panel has held public hearings throughout the country. [3][95][96] President Obasanjo appeared before this panel to assist with questions regarding his presidency during the 1970's. Other former military rulers have shown little regard for this body, and have failed to appear when summoned. The present Nigerian authorities appear to respect the intentions of the panel, and to co-operate with it."

Document(s): Open document

28.05.2003 - Source: Amnesty International

Final Human Rights Report of the Oputa Panel submitted ("Annual Report 2003") [#13067],  [ID 14898]

"The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, known as the Oputa Panel, inaugurated in June 1999 to investigate human rights violations committed between 1966 and the return to civilian rule in May 1999, submitted its final report to President Obasanjo in May. The report was not made public and the government failed to disclose its plans to implement recommendations made by the panel."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

26.08.2002 - Source: World Organisation Against Torture

Case studies on impunity and state-sponsored violence in recent political and communal conflicts in Nigeria ("Hope Betrayed ? A Report on Impunity and State Sponsored Violence in Nigeria") [#8522],  [ID 14907]

Document(s): Open document
omct-cleenNigeriareport0802.pdf

16.01.2002 - Source: Human Rights Watch

Alarming developments, in particular recurring violence between ethnic or religious groups in several parts of the country ("World report 2002") [#5281],  [ID 14905]

"Halfway through the four-year term of Olusegun Obasanjo's presidency, the overall human rights picture in Nigeria was mixed. There were investigations into past abuses but alarming developments, in particular recurring violence between ethnic or religious groups in several parts of the country. The military responded to attacks on its own personnel with indiscriminate killings of civilians. (…) (Li)ttle action was taken by the government to investigate human rights abuses committed since it came to power. There was still no public investigation into the Nigerian military's November 1999 massacre of hundreds of civilians and widespread destruction in the town of Odi in Bayelsa State. President Obasanjo visited Odi in March 2001, but no one was brought to justice for these abuses."

Document(s): Open document