The Nigerian government has refuted allegations of human rights violations, despite documented instances of protesters being killed and journalists being detained.
Bayo Onanuga, media aide to President Bola Tinubu, issued a statement on Tuesday addressing criticisms from the UK Trade Union Congress.
The outcry followed the brief detention of Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero.
Onanuga defended Ajaero’s arrest, stating, “The Nigerian government was wrongly and falsely accused of rights abuse because the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, was stopped from traveling abroad after he snubbed the invitation of a law enforcement agency conducting an ongoing investigation.”
He emphatically declared, “We, therefore, reject any notion and allusion to human rights violations in Nigeria.”
However, multiple media outlets and rights groups have documented numerous abuses under the Tinubu administration. These include killings during #EndBadGovernance protests, arrests of journalists and activists, use of tear gas on peaceful demonstrators, and the death of bystanders during protests.
Amnesty International’s recent report, “Nigeria: Human Rights Agenda 2023,” paints a grim picture. It states that rights to freedom of expression and media freedom are “routinely violated” under Tinubu’s leadership.
The report highlights a record number of attacks on journalists, with over 40 facing harassment in the past eight months.
The Nigerian Police Force, under Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, was identified as the primary perpetrator. Despite mounting evidence, the government maintains its stance.
Onanuga said, “The Nigerian government was wrongly and falsely accused of rights abuse.”