Inter-Communal and Political Violence
Episodes of inter-communal violence in the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Taraba, Benue, and Nasarawa left more than 400 people dead and scores of houses destroyed. Federal and state authorities failed to hold accountable the perpetrators of these crimes and break the cycle of violence. In response, ethnic and religious groups in this region resorted to forming their own militias to deliver justice and security. State and local government policies fed discontent by discriminating against “non-indigenes”—people who cannot prove that they are descendants of the original inhabitants of an area.
Conduct of Security Forces
Government security forces were implicated in various human rights violations with regard to the Boko Haram insurgency. The large number of troops deployed to enforce the state of emergency engaged in the indiscriminate arrest, detention, torture, and extra-judicial killing of those suspected to be supporters or members of the Islamist group. Security forces razed and burned homes and properties in communities thought to harbor Boko Haram fighters. In Baga, a town in Borno state, Nigerian troops destroyed more than 2,000 buildings and allegedly killed scores of people, apparently in retaliation for the killing of a soldier by Boko Haram. The authorities have yet to bring anyone to justice for these crimes.
The Nigerian police have also been involved in frequent human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and extortion-related abuses. Despite the dismantling of many “road blocks” by the inspector general of police, corruption in the police force remains a serious problem. The police routinely solicit bribes from victims to investigate crimes and from suspects to drop investigations. Senior police officials embezzle or mismanage police funds, often demanding monetary “returns” that their subordinates extort from the public.
Government Corruption
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made little progress combating corruption in the public sector. In a major setback in ending impunity for corruption among political officeholders, President Goodluck Jonathan in March 2013 “pardoned” Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a former governor of Bayelsa State, and the only governor to have served prison time in Nigeria for corruption.
Corruption cases against several dozen senior politicians, as well as oil marketers for their alleged role in a fraudulent fuel subsidy scheme, had still not been completed at time of writing. Executive interference with the EFCC, a weak and overburdened judiciary, and the agency’s own missteps, including failing to appeal tenuous rulings or prosecute senior politicians credibly implicated in corruption, have continued to undermine its efficacy.
The country’s other prominent anti-corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), established in 2000 to tackle corruption in the public sector, failed to file charges or achieve any major convictions in 2013.
Violence and Poverty in the Oil-Producing Niger Delta
The federal government’s 2009 amnesty program—which saw some 26,000 militants, youth, and gang members surrender weapons in exchange for amnesty and monthly cash stipends—have reduced attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta. The government has doled out these financial incentives—some US$400 million annually—from the additional oil revenue accruing to government following the amnesty, but has still not addressed the region’s underlying causes of violence and discontent, such as poverty, public sector corruption, environmental degradation from oil spills, and impunity for politically sponsored violence. In June, the government announced 2015 as the terminal date for the program and acknowledged that its inability to secure jobs for the trained ex-militants or implement an orderly exit strategy may portend more danger for the region.
Health and Human Rights
Widespread lead poisoning from artisanal gold mining in Zamfara State has killed at least 400 children since 2010. The release of funds in February by the federal government to clean up the environment allowed lead treatment programs to be expanded to reach an additional 1,500 children.
In February, nine female polio vaccinators were shot dead by suspected Islamic militants in Kano, and security for vaccinators remains fragile in the north. Attacks on health workers threaten the realization of the right to health.
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Nigeria’s criminal and penal codes punish consensual homosexual conduct with up to 14 years in prison. Sharia penal codes in many northern states criminalize consensual homosexual conduct with caning, imprisonment, or death by stoning.
In May 2013, Nigeria’s House of Representatives passed the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, earlier passed by the Senate in November 2012, and at time of writing the bill was awaiting the president’s approval. Same-sex marriages or civil unions, which could lead to imprisonment of up to 14 years, are so broadly defined in the bill that they include virtually any form of same-sex cohabitation. In addition, the bill seeks to impose prison sentences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people.
Human rights groups vocally opposed the bill because it would formalize discrimination against LGBTI people and have wide-ranging effects on the constitutionally guaranteed rights to dignity, personal liberty, freedom of speech, association and assembly, and freedoms of thought, conscience, and religion.
Freedom of Expression and Media
Civil society and the independent media openly criticize the government and its policies, allowing for robust public debate. Yet journalists are still subject to arrest and intimidation when reporting on issues implicating Nigeria’s political and economic elite. In August, the federal government arrested and charged the political editor and political reporter of Leadershipnewspaper, Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzor Ukaibe, respectively, for reporting on a story based on documents allegedly issued by the president. In September, Tukur Mamu, the publisher ofDesert Herald, was arrested and detained allegedly for publishing a book criticizing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In January, Ikechukwu Udendu, the editor of Anambra News, a monthly newspaper in southeastern Anambra state, was gunned down in Onitsha. In September, the mutilated body of Aisha Usman, a reporter with the news magazine Mahangar Arewa in Zaria, was found on a highway in Kaduna state. The causes of these deaths remained unknown at time of writing.
Key International Actors
Nigeria’s roles as a regional power, Africa’s leading oil exporter, and a major contributor of troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions have made foreign governments reluctant to exert meaningful pressure on the country over its disappointing human rights record.
The British government in July designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization, aimed at preventing it from operating in the UK and blocking British-based support for the group. The UK continues to provide substantial foreign aid to Nigeria, including security sector assistance. It has not, however, openly demanded accountability for government officials or security force members implicated in corruption or serious human rights abuses.
The US government in November designated Boko Haram and its affiliate, Ansaru, as foreign terrorist organizations. The United States in 2013 restricted a Nigerian army battalion operating in Mali as part of an African force from receiving non-lethal equipment under a foreign aid law, which bars the US from providing training or equipment to foreign troops or units that commit gross human rights violations.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay consistently warned that Boko Haram’s attacks might constitute crimes against humanity. The International Criminal Court continued its “preliminary examination” of the situation in Nigeria, with a focus on assessing the gravity of crimes committed and the extent to which national authorities are investigating and prosecuting them.
The US has shied away from providing Nigeria with real-time information for targeting Boko Haram militants, saying it partly feared the information will be used to target the wrong people.(REUTERS)
The United States (US) is limiting its intelligence and military aid to Nigeria during Boko Haram’s deadly insurgency due to concerns over the country’s human rights record, US officials say.
Boko Haram has killed thousands of people in north-eastern Nigeria in its six-year insurgency and has also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, which has created a self-declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria.
Africa’s second-biggest economy and top oil exporter is growing as an investment destination, but reports of violence and corruption by authorities have tarnished its image.
The US has shied away from providing Nigeria with real-time information for targeting Boko Haram militants, a US government official said, partly in fear that the Nigerians will use the information to target the wrong people.
Human-rights concerns have also hindered the ability of the US to assist security forces in Nigeria’s neighbours, including Cameroon, Chad and Niger, which recently have stepped up their engagement in the conflict against Boko Haram, the officials said, requesting anonymity.
The Leahy Law, which bars the US from providing training or equipment to foreign troops who commit human-rights violations, had also limited US aid to Nigerian forces
Nigeria’s chief of defence intelligence, Rear Admiral Gabriel Okoi, said this week in Washington that the US was doing “not enough” to share intelligence. “Terrorists don’t wait to share information, so why should countries? We need to share intel as we have it,” Okoi told an Atlantic Council forum.
He said the Leahy Law, which bars the US from providing training or equipment to foreign troops who commit human-rights violations, had also limited US aid to Nigerian forces. “The US is doing its best, but the Leahy law is hindering our co-operation,” Okoi said.
Human Rights Watch has accused Nigerian authorities of ignoring violence in central Nigeria that has killed thousands of people since 2010. Accusations of rights abuses have also been made by Amnesty International, which says Nigeria’s army has committed atrocities in its fight against Boko Haram. Nigeria denies the charges.
FRENCH VERSION
Épisodes de violences intercommunautaires dans les États de laceinture centrale du Plateau, Taraba, Benue et Nasarawa a laisséplus de 400 personnes mortes et des dizaines de maisonsdétruites. Les autorités fédérales et d’État a échoué à tenirresponsables les auteurs de ces crimes et de briser le cycle de laviolence. En réponse, les groupes ethniques et religieux danscette région a eu recours à former leurs propres milices pourlivrer à la justice et la sécurité. État et les politiquesgouvernementales locales nourris mécontentement en exerçant une discrimination contre les « allochtones » — ceux qui ne peuvent pas prouver qu’ils sont des descendants des premiershabitants d’une région.
Comportement des Forces de sécurité
Les forces de sécurité gouvernementales ont été impliqués dansdiverses violations des droits de l’homme en ce qui concernel’insurrection de Boko Haram. Le grand nombre de soldatsdéployés pour appliquer l’état d’urgence engagés en aveuglearrestation, détention, torture et extrajudiciaire des personnessoupçonnées d’être des partisans ou des membres du groupeislamiste. Les forces de sécurité mis à sac et brûlent des maisonset propriétés dans les communautés, censées abriter descombattants de Boko Haram. En Baga, une ville dans l’état deBorno, les troupes nigérianes détruisirent plus de 2 000bâtiments et auraient tué des dizaines de personnes,apparemment en représailles à l’assassinat d’un soldat par BokoHaram. Les autorités n’ont pas encore traduire quelqu’un enjustice pour ces crimes.
Corruption du gouvernement
L’économique et la Commission des Crimes financiers (EFCC) faitpeu de progrès la lutte contre la corruption dans le secteurpublic. Dans un revers majeur pour mettre fin à l’impunité de la corruption parmi les fonctionnaires politiques, le PrésidentGoodluck Jonathan en mars 2013 « gracié » DiepreyeAlamieyeseigha, ancien gouverneur de l’état de Bayelsa et le seulgouverneur d’avoir servi le temps de prison au Nigeria pour la corruption.
Les cas de corruption contre plusieurs dizaines de personnalitéspolitiques, ainsi que du marketing pour leur participationprésumée à un système de subventions de carburant frauduleux,huile avaient toujours pas terminés au moment de l’écriture.Exécutif interférence avec l’EFCC, un système judiciaire faible etsurchargé et les faux pas de l’Agence, y compris ne pas interjeter appel des décisions ténues ou de poursuivre des hautsresponsables politiques crédible impliqués dans la corruption,ont continué à miner son efficacité.
Du pays autre éminent organisme de lutte contre la corruption,les pratiques indépendantes de corrompre et autres connexesinfractions Commission (ICPC), créée en 2000 pour lutter contrela corruption dans le secteur public, n’a pas de frais de dossier ouréaliser toute condamnation majeure en 2013.
La violence et la pauvreté dans le Delta du Niger productrices depétrole
Programme d’amnistie de 2009 du gouvernement fédéral — quia vu quelque 26 000 militants, des jeunes et des membres degangs se rendre les armes en échange de l’amnistie et mensuelleallocations en espèces — ont réduit les attaques contre lesinstallations pétrolières dans le Delta du Niger. Le gouvernementa distribué des ces incitations financières — certains US$ 400millions par an — de l’huile supplémentaire recettes provenantau gouvernement suite à l’amnistie, mais n’a toujours ne pasadressée de la région causes sous-jacentes de la violence et demécontentement, comme la pauvreté, corruption du secteurpublic, dégradation de l’environnement contre les déversementsde pétrole, et l’impunité pour politiquement parrainé la violence.En juin, le gouvernement a annoncé 2015 comme la date limitefixée pour le programme et a reconnu que son incapacité àtrouver des emplois pour les ex-militants formés ou à mettre en œuvre une stratégie de sortie ordonnée peut laissent présagerplus de danger pour la région.
Santé et droits de l’homme
Saturnisme généralisée de l’orpaillage artisanal dans l’état deZamfara a tué au moins 400 enfants depuis 2010. Le déblocagedes fonds en février par le gouvernement fédéral pour assainirl’environnement a permis d’étendre pour atteindre 1 500 enfantssupplémentaires des programmes de traitement de plomb.
En février, neuf agents de vaccination polio femelles ont étéabattus par des militants islamistes présumés à Kano et sécuritépour les vaccinateurs demeure fragile dans le Nord. Attaques contre les travailleurs de la santé menace la réalisation du droit àla santé.
L’Orientation sexuelle et identité de genre
Criminel et les codes pénaux du Nigéria punir une conduitehomosexuelle consensuelle avec jusqu’à 14 ans de prison. Codepénal de la charia dans plusieurs États du Nord criminaliser uneconduite homosexuelle consensuelle avec la bastonnade,emprisonnement ou la mort par lapidation.
En mai 2013, Parlement du Nigeria a adopté la loi mariagehomosexuel (interdiction), précédemment adoptée par le Sénaten novembre 2012 et au moment de la rédaction du projet de loiétait en attente d’approbation du Président. Mariage homosexuelou les unions civiles, qui pourraient conduire à une peine d’emprisonnement maximale de 14 ans, sont donc largementdéfinies dans le projet de loi qu’ils comprennent pratiquementn’importe quelle forme de cohabitation des homosexuels. Enoutre, le projet de loi vise à imposer des peinesd’emprisonnement sur lesbienne, gay, bisexuelles, transgenres etles personnes intersexes (LGBTI).
Les groupes de droits de l’homme, vocalement, s’oppose au billparce qu’il formaliserait discrimination envers les personnesLGBTI et avoir des effets variés sur les droits garantis par laConstitution à la dignité, la liberté personnelle, libertéd’association, d’expression et de réunion et des libertés depensée, de conscience et de religion.
Etats-Unis (US) est limité son intelligence et l’aide militaire auNigeria au cours de l’insurrection meurtrière de Boko Haram en raison des inquiétudes sur le dossier des droits de l’homme du pays, disent des responsables américains.
Boko Haram a tué des milliers de personnes dans le nord-est duNigeria dans l’insurrection de ses six ans et a également promisallégeance à l’État islamique, qui a créé un califat autoproclamédans certaines parties de l’Irak et la Syrie.
Deuxième plus grande économie et supérieure de l’Afrique,exportateur de pétrole est de plus en plus comme unedestination de choix, mais les rapports de la violence et la corruption des autorités ont terni son image.
Les États-Unis a répugné à Nigeria fournissant des informationsen temps réel afin de cibler les militants de Boko Haram, unfonctionnaire du gouvernement américain, a déclaré, en partiedans la crainte que les Nigérians utilisera l’information pourcibler les mauvaises personnes.
Préoccupations des droits de l’homme ont aussi entravé lacapacité des États-Unis pour aider les forces de sécurité chez lesvoisins du Nigéria, y compris le Cameroun, le Tchad et le Niger,qui récemment ont intensifié leur engagement dans le conflitcontre Boko Haram, les fonctionnaires ont déclaré, requisl’anonymat.
La Loi de Leahy, quelles barres aux États-Unis de fournirformation ou équipement pour les troupes étrangères quicommettent des violations des droits de l’homme, avaitégalement limitée aide américaine aux forces nigérianes
Il déclara la loi Leahy, quelles barres aux États-Unis de fournirformation ou équipement pour les troupes étrangères quicommettent des violations des droits de l’homme, avaitégalement limitée aide américaine aux forces nigérianes. “LesEtats-Unis fait de son mieux, mais la loi Leahy est entravant notrecoopération,” ouf dit.
Human Rights Watch a accusé les autorités nigérianes d’ignorerla violence dans le centre du Nigéria qui a tué des milliers depersonnes depuis 2010. Les accusations d’atteintes aux droitshumains ont également par Amnesty International, qui dit arméedu Nigeria a commis des atrocités dans sa lutte contre BokoHaram. Nigeria rejette les accusations.
