Findings from a UNPO report have been included in the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Nigeria.

The UPR uses submissions from a variety of civil society members, NGO’s and other relevant stakeholders to create objective and reliable information about the human rights situation of the government in question. Each report is analysed and reviewed by the UPR working group, and then the state in question is invited to respond.

The UNPO report warned that the independence of the National Human Rights Council has been undermined by the removal of its head in 2006 after he criticized the state’s arrest of two journalists. UNPO also encouraged Nigeria to allow UN access to the Niger State Delta to investigate accusations of human rights violations. The UNPO also highlighted severe environmental concerns involving the oil pipeline leaks, toxins released into the air, exacerbated by the lack of meaningful regulatory mechanisms. Further references were made to linguistic and education rights, especially of the Ogoni people who have been suffered major oppression for many years.
 

For a summary of the stakeholders’ submission papers click here.

To see the UNPO submission, click here.