The United States government yesterday released a damning report on Nig-eria�s democracy, declaring the country�s human rights record as remaining poor and characterised by serious abuses by public officials.
The report titled �Advancing Freedom and Democracy � 2008� and issued by the US State Department stated that efforts by the government of President Umaru Musa Yar� Adua to improve adherence to rule of law has not yielded significant gains.
The report cited cases of arbitrary arrest, excessive use of force by security forces, prolonged pre-trial detention, extra-judicial killings, vigilante killings, appalling prison conditions, as some of the challenges the country is yet to deal with.
�President Yar’Adua and his administration made some efforts to improve the government’s record on democracy, the rule of law, and corruption, but the government’s overall human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses�, stated the report.
It stated that �the most significant human rights problems included the abridgement of citizens’ right to change their government; politically motivated and extra-judicial killings by security forces; the use of excessive force, including torture, by security forces; vigilante killings; impunity for abuses by security forces; dangerous prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention; executive influence on the judiciary and judicial corruption.�
The report also stated that the corruption war successfully waged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the arrest of high profile government officials and the seizure of assets worth millions of dollars over four years are being reversed.
The report noted that the removal of EFCC�s former boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was seen by some as an attempt to weaken the commission. Nigeria�s attempt to deal with the fall out of last year�s controversial elections through the judiciary was cited in the report. While the report refrained from commenting on the credibility of judgments delivered by judges at the election petitions tribunals, it notes that 1,250 legal motions were filed across the country with the result that several elections were nullified.
It further stated that the US government is working with Nigeria to promote the rule of law and anti-corruption reform by providing training for government officials and assisting the civil society to advocate anti-corruption bills before the legislature.
The US also works with Nigeria to provide training for members of the military as a way of reducing human rights abuses, stated the report. Members of the Nigerian Military participated in training seminars at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies as well as a civil-military operations seminar, the report disclosed.
The US government last year expressed its support for Yar� Adua, following allegations of election rigging during the presidential election. While some human rights groups and prominent Nigerians called for a re-run, the US State Department advised aggrieved politicians to seek justice through the courts.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer then argued that the stakes were too high to walk away from Nigeria and that the country remains one of America�s most dependable allies. Isolating Nigeria would not be the best approach, she said.
May302008