Respect for rule of law will enhance citizens’ rights protection – CDHR
NAN-H-2
Law
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, Dec. 12, 2017 (NAN) The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), says respect and strict adherence to the principles of rule of law will enhance the protection of fundamental rights of citizens.
Its Chairman in Ebonyi, Mr Emeka Anosike, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abakaliki.
NAN recalls that the UN declared Dec.10, every year as International Human Rights Day.
Anosike said rights abuses and other infringements on the people’s freedom, were due to lack of respect and non strict adherence to the principle of rule of law as provided in the constitution.
The rights activist blamed the operators of the law for paying lip service to the doctrine of rule of law.
He said that the weak and the poor were the most vulnerable and suffered from gross rights violations.
Anosike said modern societies were built and governed by law and urged relevant authorities to ensure that rights of the citizens were protected and saved from extra-judicial violations.
“The law is made to protect the rich and the poor, the mighty and the weak, the haves and the have-nots.
“It is to ensure that people are not unlawfully abused based on their social, economic and political status.
“We have myriads of fundamental human rights violations, including extra-judicial killings by the police and other security agencies.
“We also have illegal detention of citizens, detention without trial, armed insurgency, kidnapping, abduction, human trafficking, and sexual abuse among others.
“The perpetrators of these rights abuses having broken the law more often than not, go without receiving the appropriate punishment prescribed by the law, thereby encouraging more indulgence in the act.
“Our laws and legal institutions should be strengthened and repositioned to protect everybody in the society, irrespective of social, economic and political status.
“The leaders must ensure good governance, promote and protect the right and dignity of the human person as well as provide environment conducive for people to pursue their economic wellbeing. ”
Anosike said the United Nations declared Dec. 10 every year as a day to commemorate the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights,’’ which was adopted in Dec. 10,1948.
He urged Nigerian government to ensure adequate protection of rights of the citizens.
“The celebration is to raise awareness on the importance attached to human rights and need to protect and safeguard the fundamental rights of people, including their social economic and cultural rights.’’
Anosike frowned at the high rate of impunity and abuse of power especially among law enforcement agents.
He said CDHR in Ebonyi had lined up a number of programmes as part of activities to mark the 2017 International Human Rights Day.
According to him, the group will embark on radio talk show and public lecture to educate and sensitise the public on how to protect their rights and how to demand compensation when illegally violated.
“The greatest handicap the people have is ignorance, and the police, other security agencies and government officials feed on this ignorance to violate the rights of the ordinary citizens.
“We must do the needful to raise the People’s awareness, “he said. (NAN)
ODO /MO/OU
Edited by Obike Ukoh
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