The Federal Executive Council has approved an Action Plan 2022-2026 for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria.
The plan was formulated by the stakeholders in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s cabinet meeting Chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said this followed the Buhari administration’s compliance with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), judgement and payment of N135 million compensation to victims and family members of the September 18, 2013, Apo six killings.
He also said the report of the committee for the protection of Journalists, equally adjudging Nigeria, as the only African country last year “That has been in full compliance in terms of the protection of the rights of the Journalists, taking into consideration that not a single incidence of death of a Journalist has been recorded in Nigeria arising from infractions, relating thereto.”
Consolidation
Malami explained that the policy is targeted at consolidating and upscaling the Nigerian observance of the Human Rights posture in view of the successes and achievements of Nigeria, as it relates to human rights under the current administration.
He said: “As you will recall, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has established a record of being the first and only administration in the history of Nigeria that has indeed tolerated, accommodated and enforced the decision of the Human Rights Commission. And in this respect, talking of the Apo six, taking into consideration, the commission adjudged the government as being in breach of the human rights of certain individuals popularly referred to as Apo six, which unfortunate incidents predates the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Human Rights Commission, adjudged the government liable to pay about N135 million to the family of the victims of the alleged infractions.
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari took steps to ensure payment of the N135 million to the Apo Six in compliance with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, thereby giving teeth to the Human Rights Commission in terms of compliance with the recommendation.
“You are equally aware that the committee for the protection of journalists, which is an international committee had equally adjudged Nigeria, as the only African country last year that has been in full compliance in terms of the protection of the rights of the journalists, taking into consideration that not a single incidence of death of a journalist has been recorded in Nigeria arising from infractions, relating thereto.
“Now with those local and international successes in mind, the need has now arisen for Nigeria to indeed consolidate on the gains and upscale its provision from a local observance of the protection of the human right to international standard by way of ensuring compliance with the best practices.”
The Minister emphasized that the new action plan would help prove that Nigeria is working in tandem with International best practices with regards to the protection of human rights.
“So, the essence of the presentation of the council memo today is to deliberate on the action plan, review it and seek approval for its conservation or presentation before the International Human Rights committee for the purpose of establishing the following: that Nigeria is no longer operating at a local scale in terms of the observance and promotion of human rights, but indeed upscaling its international observance to international best practices as far as the human rights, promotion and protection of human rights is concerned.
“I am happy to report that the council deliberated and the council approved the action plan presentation before the International Committee on Human Rights,” he said.
PIAK
