The government in Nigeria is yet to recognize the full rights and privileges of its citizens as guaranteed by the country’s constitution.
―Ebuka Onyekwelu
It is evident that this Government only pays attention to national issues only when they are raised by foreign agencies
Nigerians are already used to being ignored by their own government to the extent that in most instances, the government was nearly begged to talk to Nigerians on crucial issues as important as national mass protest, national industrial action and a wide range of security concerns that threaten the economy, peaceful coexistence and in fact the country at large. Nigerians are simply ignored with a deafening silence that is audible enough to assume that the country is government-less.
The #EndSARs protest was never addressed by the government even days after the Lekki toll gate massacre. Even when the President finally spoke, he merely issued some rules of engagement and warned that there are consequences to go against those rules. Not even a mention of the Lekki massacre or assurance that law enforcement officers who violate the rights’ of citizens will be punished, even just for mere saying. The implication is that the government and in this particular instance, the president is not responsive to the daily violation of citizens’ rights by security operatives. Perhaps, the president and the government consider such violations due sacrifice the citizens must make for the country. Whatever be the case, it is hard to pinpoint why exactly violation of citizens’ rights does not seem to matter to the government and the president; that it is not even worth a mention in a national address by the president, over a mass protest against police brutality.
Recall that after days of denial and re-inventing different narratives on Lekki massacre, it took reports by CNN to actually reinforce the fact that Nigerian soldiers used live ammunition on peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate. Then, the attention of the government was drawn. Suddenly, the government’s mouthpiece moved into action to address what they consider a damaging report by CNN and described the report as “fake news” and “misinformation”. He went as far as to warn that the news company may be “sanctioned”. Defiant CNN refused to back down and released the second part of the well-researched video, yet the government remained resolute in its dismissive posturing over the Lekki tragedy.
Worst still, the Nigerian government does not pretend about her position in all of this.
Before CNN’s report which forced the government to react for the first time on the issue, it was business as usual. The silence, the denial, impious revisionism, and all other tact deployed to control information in the public space as to what really happened at Lekki, was all that mattered to the government. A government that is supposed to own what happens in its territory has become increasingly reactionary. Worst still, the Nigerian government does not pretend about her position in all of this. To date, no one has been sacked. No one has been as much as queried or suspended for their role in what transpired at Lekki toll gate and this says a lot about the issue in question. Nearly three months later, life has returned to normal. No one has taken responsibility. No one has been punished for the needless, unjustifiable murder of young Nigerians at Lekki toll gate. But the government wants to be taken seriously and really be trusted to protect the rights of its citizens.
One thing the Nigerian government is yet to come to terms with is the fact that sovereignty rests with the people and not with the government. Also, with the internet and social media, there are obvious cracks in the traditional territorial integrity of modern nations, and these developments are not without consequences for governments like the one in Nigeria.
Only a few days ago, Nigeria’s Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, again, held a press conference in Lagos where he spoke about concerns on rights’ violation by Nigerian security operatives raised by Amnesty International and the International Criminal Court sitting at the Hague. Several reports released by Amnesty International clearly indicted Nigerian security agents in a number of rights abuses. Then, ICC’s decision in December 2020 to investigate Nigeria’s security agents, forced the government to react to reports of abuses by security agents against its citizens. Thus, the Nigerian government is once again discussing the problem of Nigerians primarily because it was raised by foreign governments, agencies, or media. Undoubtedly a bold statement that the Nigerian government is not particularly concerned about the discomfort, violations, abuses, and dehumanization of her own citizens by security operatives.
In truth, what most Nigerians are facing in the manner they are treated by the Nigerian government is a matter that fundamentally bothers their citizenship. The government in Nigeria is yet to recognize the full rights and privileges of its citizens as guaranteed by the country’s constitution. While the government wants the citizens to fully comply with the obligations of their citizenship, the same government has not shown to be worried about the many violations suffered by these citizens, from government security agencies.
During the media parley, Nigeria’s Minister for Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said, “while our security agencies continue to battle these bandits and terrorists, the ICC and some human rights organizations, especially Amnesty International, have constituted themselves to another fighting force against Nigeria, constantly harassing Nigeria, constantly harassing our security forces and threatening them with investigation and possible prosecution over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes”. From the Minster’s standpoint, a few, but very important perspectives can be deduced; perhaps, violation of human rights is in line with the fight against terrorists and bandits.
Apparently, the only Nigeria that matters to our government is Nigeria that exists by the estimation of Nigeria’s government officials.
The Nigerian government is afraid of accountability, to the extent that the government’s mouthpiece regards alleged investigation as a threat. Apparently, the only Nigeria that matters to our government is Nigeria that exists by the estimation of Nigeria’s government officials. Otherwise, how can one explain that the government took time to talk about issues of rights violation by security agencies in Nigeria raised by Amnesty International and ICC, but never really care to mention the position of government on issues relating to rights’ violation. There again, a very audacious statement that the rights of Nigerian citizens do not matter, and that their rights can be severely abridged by security operatives and it is all okay. This seems to be the message from the government, which by all estimation is unequivocal. The government pretends to be a democracy, even as it continues to not only undermine but supervise cover-up of tons of reports of abuses and rights violations by security operatives. Needless to add that it makes no effort to genuinely address the issue in contention.
The Nigerian government must redefine its relationship with its citizens. The more the government keeps ignoring her citizens only to be forced to be on the defensive by international agencies holding governments accountable for culpable misgivings, the more difficult they make their job. There is absolutely no need to accuse CNN or ICC or Amnesty International of trying to destabilize Nigeria, or lowering the morale of Nigeria’s security operatives, when they join the citizens to raise their voice against rights’ abuses, with loads of evidence by agents of the state. The Nigerian government needs to be serious and demonstrate accountability and reasonable concern over issues affecting her citizens and not wait to be called out by a foreign agency before it is forced to react to the existing problems facing her citizens, who are left completely to their own fate.
♦ Ebuka Onyekwelu, strategic governance exponent, is a columnist with the WAP
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