The need for everyone to stand up for one another’s right has been highlighted as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark 2019 human rights day.
In 1948, the United Nations defined thirty Articles of human rights in the Universal Declaration of Human rights and established it on the basis of humanity, freedom, justice and peace.
While speaking in Onitsha, on the state of human rights in Nigeria and theme for this year, “Stand up for human rights ” , a human rights lawyer, Bar Emeka Madu, decried the disrespect for basic human rights from different quarters saying that ignorance of the law has made people to see wrong things as norm.
He cited example with some customs like right to inheritance otherwise known as iri-ekpe in Igbo land, which has been abolished by laws of the land.
Barrister Madu stated clearly that under Nigeria constitution, bail is free and unlawful arrest and detention demands public apology, while a man should not be tortured under any circumstance.
Reacting to the recent change of Nigeria Prisons Service to Correction Centres, the human right activist called for change of operation geared towards reforming the inmates to become assets to the society as seen in the life of Malcolm X, sentenced for burglary in Massachusetts State Prison but later became one of the most compelling black leaders due to correctional materials on ground.
On his part, Mr. Peter Onyegiri of the Centre for Human Rights and Peace Advocacy, who spoke to the ABS at Christ the King Parish, Onitsha during their rights awareness campaign, advocated the need for intensive training and empowerment for the masses to equip them with the knowledge of their basic human rights to enable them take proper action whenever their rights are being trampled upon.
Mr. Onyegiri stated that government should set aside fund for the training of paralegals who will teach people at the grassroot.
A security expert, Mr. Emmanuel Nzeh who decried alarming rate of abuses due to low human rights awareness in Nigeria, opined that with constant training and campaigns, more people will stand up for their rights.
Sharing his experience on the violation of human rights, Mr.
Chinecherem Nwokike with the Centre for human rights and Peace Advocacy Onitsha, called on all arms of the government to join hands to always protect the constitutional Rights of the people as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.
Comments are closed for this post.