COAS, AGF Fault National Human Rights Commission Bill

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, and other stakeholders Monday criticised some of
the provisions of the proposed National Human Rights Commission
Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2020.

The stakeholders expressed their divergent opinions on the
proposed bill at the one-day public hearing organised by the
National Assembly joint committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and
Legal Matters.

In his presentation, the COAS represented by the Army Director
of Legal Services, Brig. Gen. M.U. Wambai, said it was wrong for
drafters of the bill to have excluded the Army, Navy, Air Force,
police and DSS from the Governing Council of the National Human
Rights Commission.

He said: ”Section 2(2)(b) of the bill listed the composition of
the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission and
at paragraph (b) (i) – (iii) ex-official members were listed with
the exclusion of the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, DSS and
other security agencies. Any mention of stakeholders on human
rights in Nigeria would be incomplete without the Armed Forces and
the police because often times, they receive the bout of
litigations in courts over alleged human rights violations.”

Aside the exclusion from the commission’s Governing Council, the
representatives of the Army Chief also kicked against section 5 (
j) of the bill which seeks to empower the commission to make
appropriate determination on complaints brought before it as may
deemed necessary in each circumstance.

On his part, the AGF, represented by Anthony Abah, said section
5 paragraph k of the bill should be expunged for giving the
commission powers that clash with those of Law Reform
Commission.

Malami also said it was wrong to seek power for issuance of
warrant of arrest for the commission which, according to him, is
constitutionally entrusted with courts of competent
jurisdiction.

He also faulted section 15(2b) of the bill empowering the
commission to get funds from multinational agencies, saying the
multinationals are already overtaxed and the commission should have
no link with them.

But the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Anthony Ojukwu,
in his presentation, hailed the provisions of the bill seeking to
empower it with judicial powers of giving declarative awards like
the High Courts.

He also supported the provisions seeking for widening of scope
of funding for the commission in making it not to solely rely on
government that may even be petitioned against by any aggrieved
Nigerian.

Earlier, in his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, explained that there was need to widen
the scope of funding for the commission for impartial and
independent operations.

He however said the preponderance of opinions of the various
stakeholders on provisions of the bill will be taken into
consideration in the final report of the committee.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, and other stakeholders Monday criticised some of
the provisions of the proposed National Human Rights Commission
Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2020.

The stakeholders expressed their divergent opinions on the
proposed bill at the one-day public hearing organised by the
National Assembly joint committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and
Legal Matters.

In his presentation, the COAS represented by the Army Director
of Legal Services, Brig. Gen. M.U. Wambai, said it was wrong for
drafters of the bill to have excluded the Army, Navy, Air Force,
police and DSS from the Governing Council of the National Human
Rights Commission.

He said: ”Section 2(2)(b) of the bill listed the composition of
the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission and
at paragraph (b) (i) – (iii) ex-official members were listed with
the exclusion of the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, DSS and
other security agencies. Any mention of stakeholders on human
rights in Nigeria would be incomplete without the Armed Forces and
the police because often times, they receive the bout of
litigations in courts over alleged human rights violations.”

Aside the exclusion from the commission’s Governing Council, the
representatives of the Army Chief also kicked against section 5 (
j) of the bill which seeks to empower the commission to make
appropriate determination on complaints brought before it as may
deemed necessary in each circumstance.

On his part, the AGF, represented by Anthony Abah, said section
5 paragraph k of the bill should be expunged for giving the
commission powers that clash with those of Law Reform
Commission.

Malami also said it was wrong to seek power for issuance of
warrant of arrest for the commission which, according to him, is
constitutionally entrusted with courts of competent
jurisdiction.

He also faulted section 15(2b) of the bill empowering the
commission to get funds from multinational agencies, saying the
multinationals are already overtaxed and the commission should have
no link with them.

But the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Anthony Ojukwu,
in his presentation, hailed the provisions of the bill seeking to
empower it with judicial powers of giving declarative awards like
the High Courts.

He also supported the provisions seeking for widening of scope
of funding for the commission in making it not to solely rely on
government that may even be petitioned against by any aggrieved
Nigerian.

Earlier, in his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, explained that there was need to widen
the scope of funding for the commission for impartial and
independent operations.

He however said the preponderance of opinions of the various
stakeholders on provisions of the bill will be taken into
consideration in the final report of the committee.