The Human Rights Committee of the United Nations (UN) has accused Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari of not doing enough to stem the high level of corruption, killings, human rights violations among others by various agencies of government.
This was contained in a report released at the conclusion of its review of the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Nigeria.
The UN also queried the Federal delegation led by the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office at Geneva, Amb. Audu Ayinla Kadiri, on the killings of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shiites.
The Committee Experts, Chaired by Ahmed Amin Fathalla, stressed that the purpose of the meeting was to find common ground so that the committee may formulate recommendations aiming to help the government to move forward.
“Human Rights Committee reviews the situation of Civil and Political Rights in Nigeria.
“The Human Rights Committee concluded today its review of the implementation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Nigeria,” Fathalla added.
In his opening remarks, Audu Ayinla Kadiri, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the composition of the Nigerian delegation was a testimony to its commitment to the implementation of the Covenant.
He apologized for Nigeria’s inability to submit its second periodic report. Nigeria had implemented many initiatives to improve the effectiveness, accessibility, accountability, transparency and fairness of the justice system, such as the development of justice sector reform action plans and the establishment of judicial research and training centres.
“The Nigerian Government was firmly committed to promote and protect the human rights of Nigerians. While much had been done in this regard, across a broad range of fields, the Government acknowledged that challenges remained” he said
The committee thanked delegation for their presence and stressed that the purpose was to find common ground so that the Committee may formulate recommendations aiming to help the Government to move forward.
They pointed out that corruption remained rampant and that implementation of the legislation was weak.
They also asked the delegation to make concrete recommendationa on recent events, notably the killing of people in Biafra region and the killing of 350 people in Zaria, in Kaduna province.
