Some human rights and social activists have expressed concern over the increasing rate of human rights violation in the country, saying it portends a great threat to Nigeria’s socio-economic and corporate existence.
In a statement, the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, cautioned that acts such as abuse, blackmail, extortion, battery, assault and arbitrary arrests by both state and non-state actors were actions that could lead to anarchy and chaos.
Odinkalu added that all Nigerian citizens were entitled to the protection and promotion of their human rights.
“Every human is unique in different ways and it is wrong to treat certain people as inferior. A lot of Nigerians still think it is okay to wipe people out because they advocate for a particular cause. They even feel it is okay to beat up people because they are women. The Chief Judge of Kenya wears earrings. Why would you arrest people because they wear earrings? We look at these things and we give judgment. How about if those people we refuse to protect are our loved ones?”
Also, the Executive Director of the Initiative for Equal Rights, Olumide Makanjuola, said s6xuality was one of the things people shied away from discussing.
He said, “Sometimes, people are arrested because they dress in a certain way. That is not wrong. Our culture allows expression of love and protection. There is no culture in the world that says it is okay for people to be beaten, killed or sent to prison because of who they are. Any culture that allows such should be checked because that culture is dangerous to the existence of a people. Anybody who beats or harasses people should have it in mind that he or she would suffer the same fate too. We shouldn’t legalise violence and I don’t think there is a culture that promotes violence based on the identity of a people.”
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