Violation of human rights in nigeria

Running head: VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

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Violation of Human Rights in Nigeria

VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

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Violation of Human Rights in Nigeria

Nigeria ranks high among countries where human rights are violated and abused. The

legacy of the civil war that ravaged the country leaving in its wake one to three million Nigerians

dead and probably three million displaced (Falola & Heaton, 2008, 180) resulted in a

considerable build-up of the country’s military forces and, moreover, in the development of the

military sect Boko Haram (Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, 2011). Human rights

abuse is common; it includes large-scale killings; ethnic, regional, and religious violence is also

common. Corruption, often practiced by official agencies and impunity at all levels of

government, jointly with an implementation of Shari’a laws by some states facilitated sexual

harassment and harmful traditional practices that are distinct features of human rights violations

in the country.

The world community repeatedly expressed its anxiety as to the situation with human

rights in Nigeria; however, the current situation is disturbing, and great efforts should be exerted

to achieve any progress. At the same time, it was admitted that “foreign interests continue to play

a large role in sustaining some conflicts in the competition for oil and other African resources”

(Africa: Annan Conflict Report, 1998). Different governments and international organizations

used to support different parties in the civil war and other conflicts. The current situation in

Nigeria is monitored by Global rights group, Amnesty International, which states, in its most

recent report, that the Nigerian army has committed human rights violations in its attempts to

crackdown Islamist Boko Haram militants (Nigerian Army Violating Human Rights with

Impunity Charges Amnesty, 2912). The clash of the security forces with Boko Haram only

increases human rights abuse and triggers new cycles of violence.


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References

Africa: Annan Conflict Report. (1998). Retrieved from

http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Urgent_Action/apic_42398.html

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and

Labor, U.S. Department of State. (2011). Retrieved from

http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/186441.pdf

Falola, T., & Heaton, M. M. (2008). A History of Nigeria. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.

Nigerian Army Violating Human Rights with Impunity Charges Amnesty. Big News

Network.com. 1st November, 2012. Retrieved from

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/210471576


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Violation of human rights in nigeria

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