Politics

#EndSARS: Regional court indicts Nigerian govt of rights abuses

Published

4 months ago

July 12, 2024

The Nigerian government was indicted on Wednesday by the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for violating human rights during its response to the #EndSARS protest, specifically for its excessive use of force at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on October 20, 2020.

In a decision handed down by Judge Rapporteur Justice Koroma Sengu, the ECOWAS sub-regional court harshly condemned the N10 million payout to each of the victims listed in the lawsuit.

According to a statement made by human rights activist Chioma Chuka-Agwuegbo, a coalition of human rights activists and organizations filed a lawsuit before the ECOWAS Court alleging serious abuses of fundamental human rights by Nigerian security personnel.

Chuka-Agwuegbo claims that the ruling of the ECOWAS Court emphasizes the vital role that civil society plays in promoting justice and human dignity as well as the significance of regional judicial systems in keeping governments accountable and defending people’s rights.

The Court found that the Nigerian government’s conduct violated multiple international human rights norms, including Articles 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, after carefully reviewing the material and witness testimony.

The anti-police brutality protests in Nigeria, which took place after a tumultuous two weeks, seemed to be an attempt to challenge the country’s culture of respect through street demonstrations and social media. This powerful movement seemed to upset those in authority.

The Court discovered solid proof of infringement of the rights to liberty and security, assembly, free speech, and dignity, as well as the disproportionate use of force. It declared that the Respondent State’s responsibilities under the African Charter were violated and that the use of force was not necessary.

Additionally, it stated that the applicants had been tortured by the Nigerian authorities. The Nigerian government failed to provide evidence to counter the court’s findings that the Lekki tollgate incident, in which live bullets were fired into a crowd of unarmed demonstrators, produced a fearful environment.

The Respondent State violated the Applicants’ rights under Articles 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter, the Court further held, by refusing to provide the Applicants their freedom of expression, assembly, and association. The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the ECOWAS Revised Treaty both judged Nigeria’s duties to conflict with the government’s conduct.

Related Topics:#ENDSARS Featured Nigeria

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Politics

Mali’s junta names spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga new Prime Minister

Published

14 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

A day after dismissing Choguel Maiga for criticising the government, Mali’s governing junta named its spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, as Prime Minister on Thursday, according to state broadcaster, ORTM.

A source close to Choguel Maiga told Reuters that the ruling generals were incensed by Maiga’s remarks over the weekend denouncing the junta’s inability to hold elections within the 24-month timeframe given for the return to democracy.

After promising to hold elections in February, the military authorities, who took control in two separate coups in 2020 and 2021, have put off the poll indefinitely, citing technological difficulties.

Choguel Maiga’s firing coincides with indications of growing discontent and disarray among Mali politicians, even those who first supported the coup and collaborated with the junta.

As the wait for elections continues, Choguel Maiga, a civilian prime minister who was installed by the military junta in 2021, is the most recent to lose support.

He was cited on Saturday as claiming he learnt of the junta’s decision via the media and that there had been no discussion regarding the delay of the elections inside the cabinet.

“It’s all happening in total secrecy, without the prime minister’s knowledge,” Choguel Maiga told reporters.

Before then, he had frequently stood up for Mali’s junta against criticism from foreign friends and neighbours in West Africa who denounced its repeated election delays and military collaboration with Russian mercenaries.

As government spokesperson, Abdoulaye Maiga, the new prime minister, has also made strong public remarks against France, the previous colonial master. One such speech was demanding French President Emmanuel Macron to stop his “neocolonial” and “condescending” behaviour.

Abdoulaye Maiga and Assimi Goita, the leaders of the junta, announced they had kept all of the important cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new administration in a statement that was broadcast on state television ORTM.

The announcement said that Abdoulaye Maiga will remain minister of territory administration.

Politics

Congo opposition mobilizes protests against constitution review

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In response to President Felix Tshisekedi’s intentions to amend the constitution, opposition lawmakers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have called for national protests on Wednesday.

Tshisekedi, who was sworn in for his second and last term in January, said that a panel would be formed in October to recommend possible constitutional amendments.

According to critics, it may be a ploy to lift term restrictions and give him another chance to run.

Tshisekedi said the current constitution, ratified by a referendum in 2005, needed to change because it did not align with the country’s current realities.

Opposition politicians, including former president Joseph Kabila and past presidential candidates Martin Fayulu and Moise Katumbi, issued a unified statement on Wednesday urging rallies to “block” Tshisekedi.

A request for a response from the Congo’s presidency was not answered.

Patrick Muyaya, the minister of communications, stated on Monday that discussions surrounding the constitutional revision should be de-politicized and that no one should doubt the president’s intentions.

“We’re at the beginning of our mandate… The President of the Republic still has four years to go, and we must avoid attributing intentions to him,” Muyaya told reporters.