The increased rate of abuse of human rights perpetrated by security operatives usually resulting to untimely death of the victims has become worrisome to stakeholders.
One of the stakeholders at a virtual meeting put together by the CLEEN Foundation on Counter Terrorism Legislation in Nigeria, Dr Michael Ugwueze, said the level of distrust amongst security agencies in countering terrorism has led to the break down of law and order which mostly leads to abuse of constitutional rights of the citizenry.
Dr Ugwuanyi, a senior Lecturer with the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, urged the government to create avenues that would encourage citizens’ paticipatory and inclusive soft approach to counter terrorism.
He also stressed the need to rebuild trust between the security agencies and the citizens to restore peace to the volatile areas of the north-east and other parts of the country The Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation, Dr Benson Olugbuo on his part, advised the National Human Rights Commission to adequately protect human rights in accordance with the law even when a citizen is being accused of committing a crime as the law states that everybody is innocent until proven otherwise.
