Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on
\nboth President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo
\nto \u201curgently instruct appropriate authorities to promptly and thoroughly
\ninvestigate apparently sponsored and coordinated attacks against Amnesty
\nInternational Office in Nigeria, and ensure the safety and security of its
\nstaff.\u201d<\/p>\n
It would be recalled that a group of protesters yesterday barricaded the But in a statement today signed by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale, The statement read in part: \u201cIf the Buhari government does not take all \u201cSERAP will continue to work to challenge any attempt to restrict, silence \u201cAny attack on Amnesty International Office in Nigeria or harassment and \u201cThis government has an obligation to support and protect civil society \u201cUnder the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and international \u201cWhile some may not like to hear some of the things Amnesty International Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on both President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo to \u201curgently instruct appropriate authorities to promptly and thoroughly investigate apparently…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAbuja office of Amnesty International and asked the international
\norganisation to quit Nigeria within 24 hours<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n
\nthe organization called on Buhari and Osinbajo to \u201cact swiftly to end the
\nincreasing and apparently sponsored attacks, intimidation, harassment and
\nthreats against Amnesty International Office in Nigeria and its staff. Any
\nfailure to hold to account those who may be responsible will invariably
\nincrease the vulnerability of civil society in the country, and strengthen
\nthe perception that attacks against NGOs and human rights workers can
\nhappen with impunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nnecessary measures to immediately end the mob attack on Amnesty
\nInternational or any other civil society group for that matter, SERAP will
\nbe compelled to take appropriate legal action nationally and
\ninternationally including approaching the UN Special Rapporteur on the
\nsituation of human rights defenders for a remedy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nor eliminate the voices of credible civil society in the country. We urge
\nthe presidency to speak out strongly against intimidation and harassment
\nof Amnesty International Office in Nigeria and its staff. Investigating
\nthe attacks against AI, naming and shaming the sponsors and bringing them
\nto justice will send a powerful message of protection and support to civil
\nsociety groups who stand up to speak truth to power.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nintimidation of its staff members is an assault on the entire human rights
\ncommunity in the country. Sponsoring protests against NGOs that have shown
\nastonishing courage in their human rights work hurt those most in need,
\nundermine access of Nigerian victims of human rights violations and abuses
\nto justice, and contribute to a culture of impunity of perpetrators.\u201d<\/p>\n
\ngroups and human rights defenders against violence and sponsored attacks.
\nNigeria is a democratic society and the government can\u2019t just sit back and
\nwatch reprisals, threats and increasing hostility to Amnesty International
\nin particular and the NGO community in general.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nhuman rights law, everyone whose rights are violated is entitled to a
\nright to an effective remedy. Exposing human rights violations and seeking
\nredress for them is largely dependent on the degree of security enjoyed by
\ncivil society groups and human rights defenders. Protecting NGOs against
\nsponsored attacks and ending impunity for such attacks is therefore a
\ncritical element in the promotion and protection of human rights in this
\ncountry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nhas said, this in no way justifies this kind of mob attack on its office
\nand staff members. The authorities should show commitment to protecting
\nthe right to freedom of expression and guarantee conditions for civil
\nsociety to flourish.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"