A NATIONAL CALL FOR DISCUSSION AND SYSTEMIC SECURITY REFORM: THE KIDNAPPING OF I. M. DANJUMA, ESQ., OTHER NIGERIAN LAWYERS AND THE EROSION OF STATE SOVEREIGNTY: NBA-HRI DEMANDS AN URGENT NATIONAL DISCUSSION ON INSECURITY.
The Nigerian Bar Association, Human Rights Institute registers its deepest anguish and unequivocal condemnation over the continued deterioration of security across the Federal Republic of Nigeria, gravely exemplified by the recent kidnapping of our esteemed colleague, I. M. Danjuma, Esq., of the Birnin Kebbi Branch.
The response of our colleagues, the Four-Day Court Boycott and the suspension of legal services for terrorism-related cases by the Birnin Kebbi Branch, is a painful expression of the crisis of confidence engulfing our nation. When lawyers, who are the last line of defence for justice, abandon the courts due to a lack of personal safety, it signifies the total erosion of a safe space in our country.
This is no longer a matter of local crime; it is a National Crisis that compromises the very sovereignty and legitimacy of the State.
A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS.
The kidnapping of a lawyer is an assault on the entire justice system. The resulting insecurity in areas designated as terrorist hot spots directly violates the fundamental human rights of every Nigerian, including:
1. The Right to Life and Personal Liberty: The fundamental obligation of the State to secure the welfare and security of its citizens is now, regrettably, abdicated to the whims of chance and the necessity of private intervention
2. The Right to Unhindered Access to Justice: The court boycott demonstrates that the state can no longer guarantee the safety of those who administer justice, effectively paralyzing the judiciary in affected regions.
3. The Preservation of the Independence of the Legal Profession: When lawyers are targeted for abduction and are forced to restrict their movements to safer venues, their independence, the very bedrock of the rule of law, is fundamentally compromised.
THE NBA’S DEMAND: CONVENE A PRESIDENTIAL-LEVEL NATIONAL SECURITY SUMMIT
The time for task forces and periodic condemnations is over. The Nigerian Bar Association-Human Rights Institute demands that the Federal Government convene a presidential-level national security summit immediately and urgently, dedicated to crafting systemic solutions to this menace.
This Summit must involve:
The Presidency and National Security Apparatus
The Judiciary (Heads of Court)
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA-HRI for data and systemic input)
The National Human Rights Commission
State Governors from the most affected regions (North-West, North-Central, etc.)
This summit must move beyond temporary measures and focus on the institutional failure to implement effective security and justice mechanisms. The NBA-HRI is committed to providing the legal framework, the data, and the expertise to support any sincere national effort to restore safety and public confidence.
A FINAL CALL
We call upon every Nigerian and every institution to recognize this moment of crisis. The continued violation of the fundamental human rights of citizens and the targeting of our colleagues is an assault on the promise of democracy.
The government must act now to restore a safe place in our country. The Nigerian Bar Association – Human Rights Institute will hold all authorities accountable until meaningful, systemic reform is achieved.
Signed,
Sabastine Anyia, Esq
Chairman, Human Rights Institute & 1st Vice President
For: Nigerian Bar Association
