AN EXAMINATION OF THE CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This article titled Challenges and Prospects of the enforcement of human rights in Nigeria revealed that despite the constitutional provisions that guarantees enforcement of human rights there are some limitations and challenges that may affect the enforcement. Human Rights abuses or violations are a menace. Humanity everywhere in the world has faced this problem despite efforts by government of the various Nation States across the world to find a solution to this problem. The need for extra protection of Human Rights has become increasingly necessary in Nigeria today. To ensure the control and eradication of Human Rights abuses or violation, the country has established various legal and institutional frameworks for the Protection and Enforcement of Human Rights in the Country. Fundamental rights are only an aspect of Human Rights which have been recognized and entrenched in the constitution. The rights are provided to enhance human dignity and liberty of every individual in a modern state. The article was purely doctrinal. Thus, most of the work was done in the library by reading such materials as text books, journals, newspapers and magazines, statutes and cases which are relevant and in line with the current development of law with the topic under discussion. Information for this article was also obtained from the internet. Information obtained from this source was carefully analysed to meet the objectives of this work. Other works have limited themselves to literature on Human rights especially in the area of civil and political rights violations. The article has recommended for certain provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the Fundamental Enforcement Rules 2009 and the Child Right Acts 2003 for a better enforcement and prosecution of the fundamental human rights in Nigeria. The article in conclusion made some recommendations among others such as the amendment of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Rules 2009 to accommodate service on public holidays and Sundays, the granting of independence of the Judiciary in terms of financial autonomy both of the Federal and State levels and the need to make provisions in the charter for the mode of procedure for the enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights cases coming under the charter which if applied or implemented will in no small measure help in addressing the challenges as stated above in which the article has done.