A human rights advocate, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, on Friday, said
the Federal Government lack both legal and moral justifications to encourage
the invasion of Niger Republic by the Economic Community of West African
States.
He argued that being a sovereign state, Nigeria does not
have the legal right to dictate to Niger and its citizens the way to run their
affairs, particularly on the type of government they should operate.
Leaders of ECOWAS states had, in the wake of the recent coup
in Niger Republic, resolved to, among others, deploy forces to unseat the
military government currently in place.
However, Ozekhome disagreed with the decision, maintaining
that Nigeria lack the moral foundation to stand and dictate to Niger because
the international community never dictated to Nigeria in many instances when it
experienced military interventions in the past.
The activist stated these in his keynote address during the
public presentation of a book, titled themed, ‘International humanitarian law
and armed conflicts: An African Perspective’ held in Abuja by the International
Human Rights Commission, authored by the IHRC’s Head of Diplomatic Mission in
Nigeria, Dr. Hezekiah Duru.
The event had in attendance the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji
Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; the Minister
of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and other personalities featured among others,
According to Ozekhome, “The international community never
came to dictate to us how to govern ourselves during instances of military
interventions. We have no moral authority to go and intervene in another
sovereign state’s internal affairs.”
He said the most Nigeria, ECOWAS and others, opposed to the
current political situation in Niger could lawfully do, would be to impose
economic, diplomatic and related sanctions, but not to engage in military
intervention.
He blamed the resurgence of military intervention in the
continent on the failure of African leaders to provide effective leadership and
refrain from insisting on being in power perpetually.
While citing examples of some African countries led by a
single family for many years, Ozekhome argued that it was unfair to other
citizens of such countries to be subjected to the leadership of one family for
decades.
“Are you saying that there are no other families in those
countries that can produce leaders? African leaders should give good governance
to the people. Where they are not ready for the gain, they should be ready for
the pain,” Ozekhome said.
The Sultan of Sokoto, represented by Professor Ahmed Mora,
said human rights issues were very much consistent with the tenets of the
Islamic religion, which must be continually protected in Nigeria and the West
African sub-region.
He recalled that as a retired Brigadier General, who served
the Nigerian Army for 34 years, he was involved in peacekeeping and peace
enforcement exercises across the continent.
The Sultan, who regretted the impact of conflicts on
Nigerians, including the high number of internally displaced persons, called on
everyone to work on ways to discourage war and other forms of conflicts which
affect the people’s ability to exercise their human rights
The Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who was
represented by Eva Omotese, said because many countries in the continent are
currently experiencing different forms of conflict like civil war, coup,
insurgence, banditry, terrorism, and militancy, among others, it became imperative
for all to promote human rights of everyone by supporting the work of the IHRC.
The Secretary-General of the IHRC, Professor Rafal Marcin
Wasik, who was visiting Nigeria for the first time, assured of his
organisation’s commitment to the promotion of human rights and humanitarian
services globally.
Speaking on his book, Duru explained that it identified
legal challenges and critically discussed them with a view to proffering
possible solutions, adding, “the significance of the book also borders on the
understanding of new developments in armed conflict which it brings even as it
extends the knowledge-base that currently exists in the field.
“In all, the book thus dovetails into the objective of this
symposium, which essence is to focus on the justification and promotion of
humanitarian intervention and peace-building in Africa, particularly in
countries which unfortunately are experiencing armed conflict, either in the
form of civil wars, coup d’états, insurgencies, banditry, militancy, terrorism,
etc.”
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim
Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam, regretted the devasting effect of the current
security challenge in the country and on the people and promised to support the
activities of those behind the symposium.
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