National institutions' mandate of human rights protection : how effective is the national human rights commission in protecting rights in Nigeria?

Abstract

This paper examines the mandate of national institutions for the protection of human rights and assesses the effectiveness of the Nigerian National Human Rights Commission in this task, since human rights are meaningful at the national level. The paper posits that a major legal reform in 2010 which strengthens and guarantees the Commission's independence, is sufficient to reposition the Commission and enable it effectively protect rights and be responsive to victims of rights violations in Nigeria. In view of its assessment, this paper concludes that the Commission can be classified as an effective institution and that the time to effectively protect human rights in Nigeria has come. The paper however raises concern about the challenges of inadequate funding and of insufficient investigating officers among others, which can damage the Commissions' credibility and also limits its capacity to fulfill its mandate. The paper instructs Government to adequately fund the Commission in order not to make a mockery of its legal reforms and calls into question, its motives in establishing such a vital institution without adequate funding. The paper notes the need for the Commission to improve its accessibility to Nigerians, as seven offices are insufficient to serve a population of over 151 million. The paper also instructs the Commission to step up its monitoring mandate and to ensure the effective implementation of international human rights instruments which Nigeria is a party to, as some Nigerian laws are still not in conformity with international standards.