TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 3
1.3 Objective of the Study 4
1.4 Research Questions 5
1.5 Significance of the Study 5
1.6 Scope of the Study 5
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms 6
1.8 Plan of the Study 7
CHAPTER TWO:REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.0 Introduction 8
2.1 Views of early philosophers on human rights 8
2.2 Contemporary Definitions of Human Rights 12
2.3 Evolution of human rights in Nigeria 15
2.4 Constitutional Provision of Human Rights 16
2.5 Types of Human Rights 23
2.5.1 Civil and political rights 23
2.5.1.1 Civil Rights 23
2.5.1.2 Political rights 24
2.5.2 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 24
2.6 Types of Human Rights Abuses 27
2.6.1 Human trafficking and its forms 27
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2.6.2 Extrajudicial killings and its Forms 33
2.6.3 Torture and other Degrading treatments 37
2.6.4 Types of Human Rights Violation and the Human 42
Rights Commission’s Treatment (2011-2014)
2.7 Human Rights Advocacy Civil Society 45
Organizations in Nigeria
2.8 International dimensions of human rights 48
2.9 Theoretical framework 50
2.9.1 Theory of Natural Rights 50
2.9.2 Summary of Literature Review 52
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction 54
3.1 Research Design 54
3.2 Population 54
3.3 Sample size and sampling Technique 54
3.4 Research Instrument 55
3.5 Validity and Reliability of Instrument 56
3.6 Data Collection Procedure 56
3.7 Method of Data Analysis 56
3.8 Ethical Consideration 56
3.9 Limitations of the Methodology 57
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.0 Introduction 58
4.1 Respondents Characteristics and Classification 58
4.2 Purposive Questions and Discussion of Findings 59
CHAPTR FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 68
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5.2 Conclusion 69
5.3 Recommendations 70
5.4 Contribution to Knowledge 71
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies 71
5.6 Limitation of the Study 72
REFERENCES 74
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1 40
2 43
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
Attempting to totally eradicate crime and corruption in any society of the world may seem abortive. The reason for this is not farfetched. Conflict is innate in man. This implies that every human being has the propensity to defend himself/herself when there is perceived threat to one‘s life. This suggests the reason why Coser (2006) argues that conflict is instinctual for us, so we find it everywhere in human society. Humans have the ability to be both aggressive and altruistic in behavior. However, the behavior shown depends on a host of developmental, social and circumstantial factors. There is violent conflict which may involve the use of arms.But there is also the conflict that we find in our daily lives and relationships. Coser sees conflict as a normal and functional part of human life, and believes that most social conflict is based on the unequal distribution of scarce resources. This altogether brings into lime light the idea of allocation of rights to every citizen cut across the globe to reduce conflict.
Every person the world over is entitled to human rights. It has become a globally recognized and accepted notion that individuals possess certain definite political, civil, economic and social rights which governments have the duty and responsibility to protect and enforce such rights, (National Open University of Nigeria Study Guide, 2014). Wright posits that these rights include the right to life, the right to an adequate standard of living, freedom from torture and other maltreatment, freedom of religion and expression, freedom of movement, the right to self-determination, the right to education, and the right to participation in cultural and political life, (Yusuf, 2014).
The history of human rights can be traced to past documents, particularly the Al-Risalah al-Huquq (659-713), Magna Carta (1215), the English Bill of Rights (1689), the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), and the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution (1791).The idea of human rights in Nigeria dates back beyond the advent of colonial rule. Human rights and Fundamental freedoms were acknowledged in the traditional Nigerian societies. But the idea of rights was not conceived in the modern notion as we have it now. Such values as right to family, kin and clan membership, freedom of thought and conscience, speech, belief and association, right to enjoy private property and right to participate in governance of the affairs of the society were protected, (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2006).Subject to the fact that respect for human rights would engender peace both locally and internationally, the United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. 48/134 of 20th December 1993 implored all her member states to establish National Human Rights Institutions relative to their environment, (National Human Rights Commission, 2007).
Through this medium, the National Human Rights Commission was established in Nigeria following the (NHRC) Act of 1995 which gained potency in 1996 to spring into action (although it was amended by the NHRC Act, 2010). The Act saddles the commission with the authority to deal extensively with human rights issues while taking into consideration the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It enforces its power by protecting the poor, weak and vulnerable, and other victims of human rights violation by offering free services which are supposed to be accessible to the public.
Series of incidents of humanrights violation give the impression that the rights of the citizens are not adequately protected by the commission. Such violations of rights which include torture, extrajudicial killing, human trafficking, unlawful detention, and so on are noted in details in subsequent chapters. Before the new beginning of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, successive military regimes violated the rights of Nigerians without remorse. The height of violations of rights was observed during the military rule of Abacha (1993-1998) with the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogoni non-violent human rights activists, (Alka, 2011).
After the dawn of democracy, civilian leaders similarly violated the rights of citizens. Unlawful and extra-judicial killings, torture, cruel and inhuman treatments from the armed forces were meted out to citizens under the civilian rule. An example of such according to Animashaun (2013) is the case of Godwin Anuka, a bus driver who was shot by a police constable on the 2nd of March 2005, due to his refusal to bribe the police at the check point in Makurdi, Benue State. This act is however contrary to section 33 of the 1999 constitution on the right to life, which states that: “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, except in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria”