A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Regional Watch for Human Rights (RWHR), has launched its Nigerian operations in Lagos, to safeguard citizens’ rights.
The Regional Director of the group, Tola Adebayor, told journalists at the launch on Tuesday that the universality of human rights had necessitated the opening of the Nigerian branch of the advocacy group.
“Our purpose of the Nigerian branch is to join genuine human rights groups in the country, so that we can work together for the attainment of human rights and respect for the rule of law.
“We want to ensure that our society is sanitised to the point that people’s rights would be respected.
“We have seen that so many issues are going on in Nigeria but it is the responsibility of human rights groups, to bring these to the notice of the government and to have them corrected.
“We will be looking at several issues of human rights concern as our mandate as well as monitoring and correcting them,’’ Adebayor, a legal practitioner said.
He added that the group would also be providing legal services when rights of citizens are violated under the law.
The director added, “There is a great need for the Nigerian government to improve on its human rights record.
“Regional Watch for Human Rights will be the voice of the voiceless and will defend the rights of the people under the law.’’
The activist, who called for refined operations of the security agencies, advocated for a free and fair atmosphere for Nigerians to exercise their voting rights in the 2019 elections.
According to him, as the government protects rights of citizens, it is the duty and obligation of citizens to play their role and respect the rights of others.
He urged media practitioners to support crusade for the protection of human rights, to make the society good for all to live in.
Also speaking, Mayomi Afekhuai, National Director of RWHR, said: “All human rights campaigns have as their common goal the identification of the various components of human dignity, the preservation and promotion of these values.
“The purpose is to enhance the welfare and progress of mankind. This being so, human rights activism then becomes a weapon for every citizen to hold in the community.
“The one sure vehicle of identifying, preserving and maintaining these rights is through democracy, government of the people, by the people and for the people.’’
The event, which had some CSOs in attendance, was supported by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), a Francophone-based organisation.
Some of the CSOs in attendance include, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Joint Action Front, Civil Liberties Organisation.
RWHR was launched in 1992 and was formally called LiberiaWatch for Human Rights.
