BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – Twenty-four civil society organisations (CSOs), that work at the intersection of the protection and promotion of human rights and good governance in Nigeria, on Thursday condemned in totality the issuing of unjustified ultimatums to Amnesty International (AI), Nigeria to vacate the country.
The CSOs called on the Federal Government to ensure adequate protection for the operatives and facilities of the Amnesty International Nigeria that are currently under vicious and persistent threats.
The organisations specifically condemned what they described as the “recurrent breach of peace, brazen lack of patriotism, and absolute disregard for fundamental democratic values and principles of good governance by a malicious group that has persisted in threatening Amnesty International.
The groups are made up of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Partners for Electoral Reforms (PER), State of the Union (SOTU), Say No Campaign, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Civil Society Network Against Agenda (CSNAC), Accountability Mechanism for Maternal New Born and Child health in Nigeria (AMHiN), and Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED).
Others include, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), Protest to Power, Centre for Democratic Research and Training (CRDDERT), Organisations of Trade Unions of West Africa, National Procurement Watch Platform (NPWP), African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Borno Coalition for Democracy and Progress (BOCODEP), Global Rights, Enough is Enough, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC}, Social Action, Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and Girl Child Africa.
The organisations said that they are aware that Amnesty International, as a duly registered organisation, possesses legal operational rights and mandate to protect and defend rights of the citizens irrespective of their socio-economic, ethno-religious and political backgrounds as pledged by the Government of Nigeria under relevant national, regional, and global laws including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Protocols on Human Rights and Rules of Law, and particularly, Section 33 to 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We in strong terms denounce the unjustifiable recurring threats against the staff and facilities of Amnesty International Nigeria, and reiterate that no responsible individual, group or government will disparage the protection of the rights of vulnerable individuals or groups.
“We find it worrisome that rather than extending sincere support and solidarity to Amnesty International Nigeria in complementing the activities of credible civil society groups to enhance democratic values in the country, an unidentifiable mischievous group continues to engage in empty threats—a ridiculous attempt to frustrate efforts to protect human rights, and suppress civil society activities ostensibly to hamper the recurring demand for good governance.
“We are disturbed but not surprised at such clearly sponsored malicious moves by some individuals, hands gloved by an undemocratic group, to divert the attention of Amnesty International Nigeria, and other credible civil society groups from their progressive struggles to dig deep and uprooting the persistent human rights abuses and violations in the country.
“Ironically, the on-going attack on Amnesty International Nigeria, is a glaring endorsement of its stellar strides in the protection of human rights. A pointer that their impactful work must be supported and sustained by all well-meaning Nigerians to enhance the rule of law, social equity, and justice.”
