By Paul Effiong, Abuja
House of Representatives has taken a bold step towards protecting human rights defenders across the country.
In that regard, the green chamber is currently working on the National Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill.
The bill, which passed second reading yesterday, is sponsored by Abiola Makinde, along with Mudasiru Lukman.
According to the sponsors, the expected legislation is aimed at providing a legal framework that recognises and protects individuals who advocate for human rights, as well as ensure that practitioners of human rights in the country operate without fear of intimidation, violence or discrimination and harassment.
In his lead debate on the bill, Makinde noted that human rights defenders play a critical role in holding government and private entities accountable, advocating for the marginalised and ensuring that constitutional and international human rights obligations are upheld.
However, he said in Nigeria, many of these defenders face harassment, intimidation and even violence for their activism.
The lawmaker emphasised that the bill is seeking to prevent reprisals against human rights advocates to ensure that the concept align Nigeria with global standards in protecting human rights activism.
“We need to give power and strength to human rights defenders. They should be well-recognised and backed by law so that they can work without fear,” Makinde stated.
According to the lawmakers, “We are now in the process of seeing how we can talk to the government of Adamawa, because they have sentenced the gentleman to hanging. And if you look at the case, it is a human rights issue. And of course, because we respect the Supreme Court judgement however, clemency is what we are really looking after so that the guy can live.”
All lawmakers who spoke during the debate generally agreed that Nigeria just like every other country urgently needs human rights defenders who will complement each other to achieve their mandates.
