The human person is a center of respect, sacredness, and dignity, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, and nationality. This inherent dignity of the human person implies necessarily inalienable, inviolable, and fundamental human rights. Entrusted with the care of its citizens, human rights protection is the responsibility incumbent upon the state and its public authorities, such as the president, governors, policy-makers, school teachers and professors, hospital managers, health professionals, non governmental organization, etc. (Patel, 2019). Therefore, it is gross human rights violations when the state and its public authorities abuse, ignore, or deny fundamental human rights.
Since the creation of Nigeria by Britain, gross violations of human rights have been occurring from time to time. However, since 2015, Nigerians have witnessed unprecedented violations of human rights by the state and its public authorities. Although every part of the country in one way or the other witnesses injustice, the south-eastern part of Nigeria (Biafra) has been witnessing unimaginable inhuman treatments and violations of human rights by the Nigerian authorities. Biafrans in the south-eastern part of Nigeria have been struggling for self-determination and creation of independent Biafran state for some decades. This struggle took a more refined and determined dimension since 2012.
Consequently, Nigerian authorities have been doing everything to suppress the struggle, committing all sorts of atrocities and inhuman treatment against pro-Biafrans. On this note, Amnesty International noted that since 2015 Nigerian army and police have been killing innocent unarmed pro-Biafrans at a number of peaceful demonstrations without Nigerian authorities investigating into such extrajudicial killings. For instance, Amnesty International has it on record that Nigerian security forces killed at least 150 pro-Biafrans in Aba, Abia State on February 9, 2016 during their prayer session and in Onitsha, Anambra State on May 30, 2016 during their rally (Duggan & Busari, 2016). Amnesty International research also showed that after these incidents, Nigerian security forces would go ahead to make arbitrary arrests of pro-Biafrans, including wounded victims in the hospital and torture them ruthlessly, for instance, by pouring acid on them (Ibekwe, 2016).
There are several other documented extrajudicial killings that Nigerian security forces have carried out on pro-Biafrans. Similarly, there are numerous forms of human rights violations committed against South-easterners by Nigerian authorities, including burning of people’s houses, unlawful detention of innocent citizens, inequality before the law, blatant insecurity, suppression of freedom of speech, interference with people’s privacy, home, and correspondence, etc. Although, not a Biafran, the case of Omoyele Sowore, a prominent journalist, is a clear current suppression of freedom of speech and unlawful detention that has been going on in Nigeria (Adebayo, 2019). The abduction of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra from Kenya by the Nigerian political authority is another clear violation of human right. I will review most of these human rights violations in my subsequent posts. In any case, what is obvious is that these killings and several forms of degrading and inhuman treatment on pro-Biafrans have continued up until today.
Finally, several fundamental questions regarding human rights violations going on in South-Eastern Nigeria abound. What are the effects of human rights violation on the well-being of Biafrans? What could be done to reduce these abuses? What are the roles of organizations, such as the church, health professions, and teachers’ union in reducing these violations? Why is the United Nations, from which the modern human rights frameworks grew, keeping quiet and turning its face away from inhuman treatments against Biafrans in Nigeria? These fundamental questions will form the framework by which I will organize subsequent posts on human rights violations in south-eastern Nigeria.
Conclusion
Human rights are founded inviolable moral claims inherent in every human person. It is quite disheartening that often times many authorities violate them with impunity without the law catching up with them. It is also more unfortunate that most times the powers that be turn their faces away from such inhuman treatments. Therefore, it is essential to always frequently remind Nigerian leaders and her public authorities of their responsibilities to protect the rights of the citizens entrusted in their care. This reminder is more pressing not only to Nigeria leaders but also to all the leaders violating, denying or ignoring the human rights of their citizens.
References
Adebayo, B. (2019). Nigeria refuses to release prominent journalist. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/world-news/
Duggan, B., & Busari, S. (2016). Nigerian officers killed 150 peaceful protesters, Amnesty report claims. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/24/africa/nigeria-security-forces-biafra-protesters
Ibekwe, N. (2016). How Nigerian security forces killed 150 pro-Biafran protesters. Retrieved from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/216166-nigerian-security-forces-killed-150-pro-biafra-protesters-amnesty-international.html
Patel, N. (2019). Human right-based approach to applied psychology. European Psychologist, 24(2), 113-124. doi: 10.1027/1016-9040/a000371
Social Change 