Connect with us

News

Nigeria’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

Published

on

Nigeria’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

By: Michael Mike

The human rights record of Nigeria will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the fourth time.

The review would be done on Tuesday, 23 January November 2024, in a meeting in Geneva that will be webcast live.

According to a statement on Thursday by the UN Human Rights Council, Nigeria is one of 14 countries to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming session from 22 January to 2 February 2024. The first, second and third UPR reviews of Nigeria took place in February 2009, October 2013, and November 2018, respectively.
 
The statement revealed that the UPR Working Group is comprised of the 47 Member States of the Human Rights Council. However, each of the 193 UN Member States can participate in a country review.
 
It stated that the documents on which the reviews are based are: 1) national report – information provided by the State under review; 2) information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the Special Procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; 3) information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and civil society groups.
 
The UPR is a peer review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN Member States have been reviewed thrice. During the fourth UPR cycle, States are again expected to spell out steps they have taken to implement recommendations posed during their previous reviews which they committed to follow up on and highlight recent human rights developments in the country.
 
The delegation of Nigeria would be led by her Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar,
 
The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of the Nigeria are Chile, Gambia and Malaysia.
 
According to the statement, the webcast of the session will be at Live Schedule | UN Web TV and the list of speakers and all available statements to be delivered during the review of Nigeria will be posted on the UPR Extranet.
 
The statement added that the UPR Working Group is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to the Nigeria on Friday, 26 January 2024. The State under review may wish to express its positions on recommendations posed to it during its review.

Nigeria’s human rights record to be examined by Universal Periodic Review

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

UPDATE: Five dead, 35 injured in suicide IED attack on Gamborun mosque

Published

on

UPDATE: Five dead, 35 injured in suicide IED attack on Gamborun mosque

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than five worshippers were killed, while 35 others sustained injuries on Wednesday following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by a suicide bomber at a mosque in Gamborun area of Maiduguri, Borno State.

The incident occurred at about 6:15 p.m. during Magrib prayers when the attacker detonated the IED inside the mosque, which was filled with worshippers.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Nahum Daso, confirmed the incident, saying the explosion killed five persons on the spot and left 35 others with varying degrees of injuries.

Daso said the injured victims were immediately evacuated to hospitals in Maiduguri for medical treatment.

He added that men of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit, alongside other security agencies, were deployed to the scene to secure the area, cordon off the vicinity and conduct thorough checks to rule out the presence of secondary explosive devices.

UPDATE: Five dead, 35 injured in suicide IED attack on Gamborun mosque

Continue Reading

News

Bomb explodes inside mosque in Maiduguri market, worshippers killed

Published

on

Bomb explodes inside mosque in Maiduguri market, worshippers killed

By: Zagazola Makama

Several worshippers were killed on Tuesday after an explosive device detonated inside a mosque at Gamborun Market in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The explosion occurred while worshippers were gathered for prayers, causing panic and chaos within the busy market area.

Eyewitnesses said the blast ripped through part of the mosque, killing some worshippers instantly and leaving others with varying degrees of injuries.

Traders and residents in the area were seen fleeing the scene as thick smoke billowed from the mosque, while others attempted to assist victims before emergency responders arrived.

Security operatives cordoned off the area shortly after the incident to prevent further casualties and to allow for preliminary assessment of the situation.

As of the time of filing this report, the exact number of casualties had not been officially confirmed.

Bomb explodes inside mosque in Maiduguri market, worshippers killed

Continue Reading

News

Igbo Association Raises Alarm Over Abuja–South East Highways, Seeks Urgent Federal Action

Published

on

Igbo Association Raises Alarm Over Abuja–South East Highways, Seeks Urgent Federal Action

By: Michael Mike

Igbo residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have expressed worries about the worsening condition of major highways linking Abuja to the South East, warning that continued neglect has turned the roads into serious safety hazards for commuters and businesses.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Igbo Community Association in the Federal Capital Territory (ICA FCT) said the poor state of the road network had persisted for decades, despite repeated appeals for rehabilitation.

The group in a statement signed by the association’s President General, Engr. Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe, and Secretary General, Mazi Emmanuel Chinwoke Onah,

noted that large sections of the highways are riddled with potholes, failed portions and weak security presence, making travel dangerous and discouraging economic activities between the North Central and South East regions.

The group argued that the situation reflects long-standing infrastructure neglect and an uneven distribution of national resources, adding that the dilapidated roads have become attractive routes for criminal operations, including armed robbery and kidnappings.

According to ICA FCT, the impact of the bad roads goes beyond transportation challenges, contributing to youth frustration, reduced commercial exchanges and a growing sense of exclusion among people of the South East. The association urged the Federal Government to declare an emergency on the affected corridors and begin immediate reconstruction to ensure the safety of travelers, particularly during the festive season.

The association also called on lawmakers from the South East and the Minister of Works to take responsibility for restoring the roads to acceptable standards, stressing that infrastructure development is critical to national cohesion and economic growth.

Warning of political consequences, the group said communities in the South East would hold their representatives accountable if tangible progress is not recorded before the 2027 general elections. It added that voters would be mobilized to oppose the re-election of lawmakers perceived to have failed in addressing the issue.

Reaffirming its commitment to the welfare of Igbo people, the ICA FCT said it would continue to advocate for improved infrastructure, enhanced security and equitable development across all regions of the country.
End

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights