A broad coalition of 24 Nigerian and international civil society organisations has called on the Federal Government to urgently grant Nigerians direct access to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The coalition includes the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Amnesty International Nigeria; BudgIT; Accountability Lab Nigeria; Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); and Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE), among others.
Also part of the coalition are the Paradigm Initiative; Spaces for Change; Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism; Global Rights; HEDA Resource Centre; CLEEN Foundation; Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC); Dataphyte Foundation; DIGICIVIC Initiative; Duty Solicitors Network; Social Action; Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI); Center for Public Interest Law (CEPIL); CRADESC; Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA); African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL); and Falana and Falana Chambers.
In a joint statement addressed to the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu, the organisations urged the government to make and deposit the declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol establishing the Court. Such a declaration would allow Nigerians and eligible non-governmental organisations to directly approach the continental court after exhausting domestic legal remedies.
The coalition said the move would strengthen human rights protection, improve accountability, and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to regional and international justice mechanisms.
The joint statement followed a formal letter sent by the groups to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, pressing the government to take immediate steps toward depositing the declaration.
The groups maintain that granting direct access to the court would expand legal avenues for victims of human rights violations and align Nigeria with other African states that have already complied with the protocol’s provisions.
BREAKING: Civil Society Coalition Urges FG to Grant Nigerians Direct Access to African Human Rights Court
