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UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

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UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

UN Gives Nigeria Advice on Anti-Corruption War

By Michael Mike

The United Nations has prescribed more ways to give bites to Nigeria’s anti-corruption war.

A statement on Thursday by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) while commending the country for the success recorded so far in it’s anti-corruption war, noted that there are rooms for improvements and more successes.

The UNODC had brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, the media and youth groups involved in the fight against corruption to discuss progress made in the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC).

In order to facilitate the dialogue, UNODC had presented the preliminary findings of a study it conducted over the past months through extensive consultation with anti-corruption agencies and other relevant stakeholders to assess the efforts undertaken by Nigeria to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Review Mechanism.

Following ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2004 and establishment of the Review Mechanism in 2009, Nigeria has undergone two reviews for its implementation of the Convention. The first review was carried out in 2014 by Lesotho and Montenegro, while the second review was completed by Cote d’Ivoire and Myanmar in 2019.

The 2014 and 2019 review reports contained a total of 65 recommendations. The study found that Nigeria had made progress in implementing 51 of the 65 recommendations, with the greatest strides being made in the area of asset recovery.

The UNODC also suggested a set of targeted actions for Nigeria to fast-track the follow up to some of the pending review recommendations. These actions include, for example, harmonizing the collection of anti-corruption data, instituting more regular coordination meetings among heads of anti-corruption agencies, and accelerating the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

The presentation of the preliminary findings of the study was followed by a high-level panel discussion with the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba; Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa; Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Professor Isah Mohammed; Executive Secretary of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Sadiq Radah; Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, Ambassador Ifeyinwa Angela Nworgu; Founder and Executive Director of Agora Policy, Mr. Waziri Adio;
and Member of the European Union Youth Sounding Board, Mr. Mubarak Idris.

The panelists discussed the findings of the study and suggested ways for Nigeria to further enhance the impact of its anti-corruption investments.

Mrs. Jedy-Agba outlined how her Ministry is working to improve coordination across Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies through the establishment of an inter-ministerial body overseeing and coordinating the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Bawa identified some of the drivers behind his agency’s recent successes in securing a rapidly growing number of convictions, from 195 in 2016 to 3,615 in 2022 so far.

He explained that the EFCC had invested significant resources in training and equipping its staff adequately, while also developing new policy documents and Standard Operating Procedures to increase internal coordination and efficiency.

Professor Mohammed emphasized the benefits of digitizing and automating asset declarations by public officials, which are currently conducted through face-to-face interviews. In his view, phasing out human interactions would fast track declaration processes, free up human resources and provide greater confidentiality for the disclosure of sensitive information.

Professor Radah of PACAC praised Nigeria for its successful recovery of ill-gotten assets, though he emphasized the need for continued improvement in this area. He insisted that “asset recovery is key to ensure that crooks never benefit from the proceeds of crime”

Idris stressed the importance of investing recovered assets in youth-focused projects. As a youth representative, he explained that the effective reduction in corruption would be critical for young people to have increased confidence in Government.

With respect to the UNCAC review recommendations, Adio pointed out that “anything that is not assigned rarely gets done”. Thus, he argued that an effective way to strengthen implementation is to clearly assign recommendations to specific anti-corruption bodies.

Ambassador Nworgu recognized the anti-corruption efforts undertaken by the Federal Government, while calling for greater engagement with State and local governments in this regard.

Supporting Nigeria in the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), with a view to safeguarding people, institutions and the economy from corruption and illicit financial flows is a key priority area for UNODC’s work in Nigeria, as laid out its 2030 Strategic Vision for Nigeria. It has also been identified as one of the transformative initiatives in the newly adopted 2023-2027 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Nigeria.

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EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police

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EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in its entirety the arraignment for treason of children and minors who allegedly participated in the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.

The Commission in a statement at the weekend said it wishes to state that the arrest, detention and arraignment of these minors by the Nigerian Police on charges of treason and attempting to overthrow a legitimate government among other charges clearly contravenes a plethora of national, regional and international laws.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, who stated this in Abuja over the weekend noted that the action of the Nigeria Police has raised significant concerns among senior lawyers and legal experts, the human rights community, development partners, sister national human rights institutions and well meaning Nigerians as it is widely considered as an excessive and inappropriate use of State Institutions against Citizens and it is even worse when the victims are children and minors whose best interest were not considered at all in line with the law.

Ojukwu stressed the importance of ensuring that legal proceedings align with children’s rights as protected under the Nigeria’s Child’s Rights Act 2003, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA), and some regional and international legal frameworks, including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

He noted that these frameworks emphasize that children should be treated differently and separated from adults within the justice system, focusing on their best interest, protection and rehabilitation rather than harsh punitive measures.

He added that unfortunately, the trial court that should know better than the police unleashed a draconian bail condition which almost all the children cannot meet, and adjourned the matter to Jan 2025, knowing fully well that these are children who have been detained since August 2024. Infact, the judge witnessed some of the children looking malnourished and unwell which calls to question the mental state of the judge when imposing such bail conditions on the children and minors for participating in a protest now turned treason.

Ojukwu explained that The NHRC’s criticism mainly centers on insensitivity of the prosecution and the court for the lack of humanity, accountability and impunity in the application of the law to the children , the severe nature of the charges, the draconian bail conditions and the potential for the psychological harm such impunity in actions might cause minors, bearing in mind that there are procedures for the treatment of the underaged, even when they come in conflict with the law. When treated in the way the prosecution and the court have done, our children could grow up with deep grudge against society, and unleash huge contempt on society in future.

He said: “We are therefore calling for immediate corrective action to ensure that children are not unfairly subjected to extreme inhumanity and slammed with charges like treason, which carry heavy penalties generally reserved for adult offenders accused of severe crimes against the state.”

According to his statement, the incident also points to broader systemic issues within Nigeria’s criminal and juvenile justice system and the need for reforms and enlightenment of police and the judiciary of the need to protect child rights in compliance with both national and international human rights standards.

Ojukwu commended the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi for intervening by instructing the police to forward the case files of these minors to his office for a review by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF).

He noted that this action by the Attorney General of the Federation is seen as a positive step towards ensuring a fair and careful evaluation of the charges levelled against the minors, providing an opportunity to reassess the appropriateness of the charges, the combination of adults and children in the same charges, the venue of trial of adults and children, the length of adjournment, the venue of the incarceration of the children, the onerous bail conditions, the health and nutrition of the children and a host of other considerations enumerated in the law concerning the treatment of Children when in conflict with the law. These considerations have been disregarded with impunity so far by both the police and the trial Judge therefore casting doubts as to whether the children can get fairness and justice from the current handlers within the police and court under the circumstances.

He added that the intervention of the AGF further underscores the importance of prosecutorial and judicial oversight, particularly in cases involving children for serious allegations like treason.

He noted that: “By involving the DPPF, the Attorney General’s office has demonstrated a commitment to upholding due process and the rights of children, who should be afforded protections and rehabilitation within the justice system.”

Ojukwu said the NHRC’s position is to use this opportunity to re-emphasize the right to peaceful protest during the End Bad Governance Protests and the need for a balanced approach to justice, ensuring that the legal rights of minors are protected and that any legal proceedings reflect the principles of fairness and child protection as outlined in Nigeria’s legal frameworks.

EndBadGovernance: NHRC Condemns Arraignment of Minors for Treason by Police

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EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”

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EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”

By: Michael Mike

The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTiON) has said it is outraged and appalled by the blatant display of government repression that has led to the unconscionable detention of 76 protesters across the nation including 32 minors.

The group in a statement on Sunday by its Convener, Hauwa Mustapha, noted that these protesters are being charged with ludicrous accusations of terrorism, attempted mutiny, and treason simply for exercising their democratic right to protest against government mismanagement of the commonwealth resources, hunger and hardship.

The statement read that: “This alarming attempt to criminalize peaceful expression as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution as Amended is yet another assault on the fundamental rights and freedoms of Nigerian citizens.

“It is increasingly apparent that the Nigerian government is not only weaponizing state power but is also acting in dangerous alignment with external forces like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. In seeking to implement an agenda driven by these international entities, the government has seemingly resorted to brutal repression to silence dissent and discourage citizens from publicly resisting harmful policies.

“The government’s actions— including detaining minors, inflicting trauma on protesters, and issuing punitive bail conditions – of N10 million each send a clear message that protests, and free expression are being treated as criminal acts and is a shameless and deliberate act designed to keep them imprisoned indefinitely and send a warning to all who might dare to dissent.”

The statement added that: “The root causes of these protests reflect deep-seated issues of bad governance, a crippling inflation rate that has sharply reduced the purchasing power of citizens, and an unmanageable cost of living that leaves countless Nigerians grappling with hunger and poverty.

“Rather than the government addressing these deep-rooted issues of poverty which is affecting over 65 percent of citizens and has seen at least 20 million children roaming the streets of the nation, government has resorted to high handed approach of fighting the very citizens it swore to protect.

“These are the real crises that have driven citizens to take to the streets, to demand accountability and a government that prioritizes the well-being of its people over external agenda.”

MOTiON further said: “The coordinated suppression of public expression is uncalled for, as it is disturbingly aligned with an IMF and World Bank playbook notorious for encouraging governments to suppress their people to enforce often oppressive economic reforms.

“The Nigerian government’s partnership with these entities has evidently come at the cost of the democratic rights of its own citizens.

“These recent events position the current administration as systematically paving the way toward full state capture and adopting a dangerous blend of dictatorship under the guise of democracy. MOTiON calls upon the Federal Government to recognize that dissent is not a crime; it is a democratic right. Attempts to criminalize it will only strengthen the resolve of the Nigerian people to demand justice and accountability.”

MOTiON emphatically demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained protesters, including the minors, by the Attorney General of the Federation, who has the authority to withdraw these “baseless charges.”

“An end to the criminalization of peaceful protest and a complete halt to the harassment of citizens exercising their constitutional rights.”

It said failure to heed these demands will compel MOTiON “to mobilize the full force of our membership, along with millions of Nigerians, to resist this unbridled tyranny. MOTiON will not rest until justice is served. We are prepared to confront this state repression head-on, alongside every Nigerian who believes in a just and democratic society.”

MOTiON, according to the statement, is a collective force of Nigerians from mass democratic organisations, workers’ organisations, pro-democracy movements, movements for social justice, women groups, citizens groups, NGOs, academia, students and youth groups, and climate action groups.

The statement described the group as “a movement of movements channelling shared anger, frustration and aspirations of Nigerians into purposeful action. Through concerted, strategic effort, we are engaging in citizens’ actions to address and overcome the root causes of Nigeria’s current state: elite capture, ineffective leadership, institutional corruption, insecurity, and the pervasive culture of impunity.”

EndBadGovernance: Group Asks FG to Release Detained Protesters Now or Face Nationwide Mobilization Against “State Repression.”

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ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies

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ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria stands at a critical juncture where safeguarding citizens’ rights is essential to maintaining democratic principles. ActionAid Nigeria condemns the recent unlawful detentions and harassment of peaceful protesters, including minors, by security agencies. These actions undermine democratic values and represent a troubling escalation in the suppression of citizens’ rights and free expression.
We are particularly concerned about reports surrounding the treatment of underaged Nigerians who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024. The Constitution and the Child Rights Act make it clear that minors are not to be treated like adults in cases where the law is violated. In this case, there’s no evidence of these children being involved in the act of treason, yet they have been subjected to a reality most kids their age would never know in their lifetime. This shows the failure to uphold the Nigerian Child Rights Act, which guarantees children’s right to protection from harm and neglect.
It is deeply troubling that in a democratic nation, peaceful protest a fundamental human right enshrined in both Nigeria’s Constitution and international law continues to be suppressed with such ruthless disregard. Detaining and humiliating underaged protesters are a blatant contravention of the Nigerian Child Rights Act, which explicitly provides for children’s right to protection from harm, abuse, and neglect. This Act, ratified to ensure the dignity and welfare of children in Nigeria, is starkly violated by the government’s failure to protect, rather than punish, vulnerable young citizens seeking a voice against the hardships that threaten their future.
As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nigeria also agreed that minors should be given a shot at rehabilitation, not harsh judgment. The law even demands that minors be kept in separate facilities from adults and prioritises juvenile courts for their cases, aiming for rehabilitation, not punishment. But we saw how the court put a huge price tag on the freedom of these 67 minors granting them bail of ₦10 million each. These children now face a tough task of finding a surety to stand for them.
Nigeria’s leadership is entrusted with the mandate to protect and serve its citizens. Addressing systemic issues of poverty, inequality, and insecurity should be the focus of state efforts. Misusing security operatives and other agencies to limit freedom of expression and intimidate citizens could have a lasting impact on Nigeria’s democratic standing and the trust of its people.
ActionAid Nigeria calls for an immediate review of the circumstances under which these minor protesters were detained. We urge the swift release of those held and ask for a renewed commitment to the human rights principles that underpin a strong democracy. The right to protest is a fundamental aspect of democratic governance, and we believe that every Nigerian deserves the freedom to voice their concerns in a safe environment.
The government’s legitimacy is derived from the people. We encourage an approach that prioritizes dialogue and respect for democratic freedoms to build trust and foster progress for all Nigerians.
In Solidarity.
Signed: Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria
Editors’ notes
ActionAid Nigeria is a national non-governmental, non-partisan, non-religious, civil society organisation, and an affiliate member of the ActionAid International Federation with presence in 45 countries. It works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication towards achieving a just, equitable and sustainable world in which every person enjoys the right to a life of dignity, freedom from poverty and all forms of oppression.

ActionAid Nigeria Calls for Respect of Citizens’ Rights and End to the Harassment of Protesters by Security Agencies

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