NIGERIA-POLITICS: MILITARY GOVERNMENT CLAMPS DOWN ON DISSENT

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

TOYE OLORI

LAGOS, Nov 11 1994 (IPS) - THE HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD OF NIGERIA’S MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SLAMMED BY INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC WATCHDOG GROUPS, IN THE RUN-UP TO THE REGIME’S FIRST ANNIVERSARY IN POWER.

A REPORT BY LONDON-BASED AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RELEASED FRIDAY, WARNS: “THE COUNTRY IS NOW FACING ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS CRISES FOR DECADES, TRIGGERED BY THE KILLINGS OF CRITICS, DETENTION FOR TREASON OF THE PRESIDENT ELECT OF NIGERIA AND OTHER ETHNIC GROUP LEADERS, PROMINENT TRADE UNIONISTS AND OPPOSITION POLITICIANS”.

AMNESTY SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD USED EXCESSIVE LETHAL FORCE TO CRUSH PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS AND STRIKES THAT HAD BROUGHT MUCH OF THE COUNTRY TO A STANDSTILL IN RECENT MONTHS.

THE CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUP CONSIDERS MOSHOOD ABIOLA, THE WINNER OF LAST YEAR’S ANNULLED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND CURRENTLY DETAINED FOR TREASON, AS A PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE JAILED FOR HIS NON-VIOLENT POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

“THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS A VERY BAD HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD,” STRESSES LAGOS LAWYER PATRICK NDUKWUBA. “IT DATES BACK TO THE PERIOD BEFORE GEN. ABACHA EVEN CAME TO POWER.”

“DURING THE PROTEST AGAINST THE INTERIM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, IT WAS ABACHA AS DEFENCE SECRETARY WHO GAVE ORDERS TO THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR TO RESTORE PEACE OR ELSE HE (ABACHA) MOVES IN. MORE THAN 100 CORPSES WERE PICKED UP ON LAGOS STREETS WHEN HE ORDERED SOLDIERS TO MOVE IN,” NDUKWUBA SAID.

GEN. SANI ABACHA DEPOSED THE UNELECTED INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF INDUSTRIALIST, ERNEST SHONEKAN, ON NOV 17. IT HAD BEEN SET UP BY THE PREVIOUS MILITARY ADMINISTRATION, IN WHICH ABACHA HAD BEEN THE NUMBER TWO MAN, FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION OF THE JUNE 1993 PRESIDENTIAL POLL.

“BEFORE HE BECAME HEAD OF STATE, ABACHA HAD NEVER BEEN A HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTOR AND NOW IN POWER, HE HAD TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO SHORE UP HIS ADMINISTRATION, AND THIS HE DOES BY SILENCING HIS CRITICS,” NDUKWUBA SAID.

“NIGERIANS HAVE BEEN CLUBBED AND EVEN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS WHICH USUALLY FIGHT INJUSTICES IN NIGERIA HAVE ALL GONE UNDER”.