NHRC Set for Campaign against Anti-Human Rights Laws

The National Human Rights Commission has disclosed its readiness to undertake a comprehensive review of the country's legislation with a view to blacklisting laws that tend to negate the fundamental human rights of the people.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe made this known in Abuja on Wednesday while reacting to the remand of 39 beggars at the Kirikiri and Badagary Prisons by the Lagos State Special Offences Court for their alleged involvement in street begging.

According to a statement signed by, Muhammed Nasir Ladan, the director of NHRC’s Public Affairs and Communications Department, Prof. Angwe expressed deep concerns over the action of the Lagos State government, promising to kick-start a process of reviewing the nation's laws to determine their conformity with human rights norms.

He claimed that the National Human Rights Commission Amendment Act 2010 empowered the Commission to undertake review of bills before States and National Assemblies, as well as existing laws that are not in tandem with human rights principles, both at state and national levels.

Prof. Angwe maintained that suspects of any forms of crime must be properly arraigned before a court of competent Jurisdiction and given fair hearing in a transparent trial, in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.