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| Civil Liberties Organisation (Nigeria) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Civil Liberties Organisation (Nigeria) |
| Formation | 1987 |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Headquarters | Lagos, Nigeria |
| Region served | Nigeria |
| Leader title | National Secretary |
Civil Liberties Organisation (Nigeria) is a Nigerian human rights non-governmental organisation founded to promote civil liberties, human rights, and rule of law across Nigeria. It engages with Nigerian institutions such as the National Assembly (Nigeria), the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and state-level judiciaries while interacting with international bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the International Criminal Court. The organisation operates amid political contexts defined by events such as the Nigerian military governments, the Nigerian Fourth Republic, and national crises including the Biafra conflict legacy and security challenges involving the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The organisation was established in 1987 by activists who had worked with groups such as Amnesty International, the Human Rights Watch, and the Civil Rights Movement (Nigeria) tradition during periods linked to the Babangida administration and reactions to decrees like the Decree No. 2 of 1984. Early leadership included figures connected to networks around the Nigerian Bar Association, former detainees from incidents during the Sani Abacha era, and advocates influenced by the work of international actors including the International Commission of Jurists and the Commonwealth Secretariat. During the transition to the Nigerian Fourth Republic the organisation documented abuses related to elections monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission and engaged with civil society coalitions similar to those that supported the June 12, 1993 movement. Throughout the 2000s it expanded programming in response to incidents involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Niger Delta insurgency, and cases before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.
The organisation’s mission aligns with protecting rights recognized in instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. Objectives include monitoring violations tied to security operations by agencies like the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, advocating for prison reforms at facilities including the Lagos State Correctional Centre, and supporting electoral integrity in contests overseen by the Independent National Electoral Commission. It seeks to influence policy in legislative venues such as the National Assembly (Nigeria) and to provide legal assistance in courts including the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
Governance follows a national executive model with roles comparable to board of directors arrangements in bodies like the Ford Foundation grantee organisations. Leadership has engaged lawyers from the Nigerian Bar Association and academics from institutions such as the University of Lagos, the University of Ibadan, and the Ahmadu Bello University. Regional chapters operate across states including Lagos State, Rivers State, Kano State, and Anambra State, coordinating with networks like the West African Human Rights Defenders Network and international partners such as Open Society Foundations grantees.
Activities have included public campaigns on issues linked to the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, advocacy against extrajudicial killings tied to units of the Nigeria Police Force, and monitoring of electoral malpractice in contests involving politicians from parties like the People's Democratic Party (Nigeria) and the All Progressives Congress. Campaigns have involved coalition work with organisations such as Transition Monitoring Group and engagement with media outlets like The Guardian (Nigeria), Punch (newspaper), and broadcasters reporting on events like the 2007 Nigerian general election. The organisation has run training for defenders associated with the Nigerian Bar Association and partnered on research with universities participating in programs funded by foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation.
The organisation provides legal representation in matters brought before courts including the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, challenging measures such as detention practices linked to the State Security Service (Nigeria) and policies implemented under past military regimes like the Abacha regime. Litigation strategies mirror approaches used by litigants in cases before the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights and often invoke rights protected by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and international treaties ratified by Nigeria, including the Convention Against Torture. It collaborates with legal networks that have produced amicus briefs in high-profile matters concerning constitutional interpretation and criminal procedure.
Notable interventions include litigation connected to detention and due process cases adjudicated by the Federal High Court of Nigeria and appellate decisions reviewed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The organisation’s reporting has informed inquiries by the United Nations Human Rights Council and submissions to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. Its advocacy contributed to debates leading to reforms in agencies like the Nigeria Correctional Service and influenced legislative amendments debated in the National Assembly (Nigeria), including measures on access to information and anti-torture provisions. Cases it supported have been cited in judgments and referenced in analyses by scholars at the Centre for Human Rights (University of Pretoria) and reports by Human Rights Watch.
Funding sources and partnerships have included grants and collaborations with international bodies such as Open Society Foundations, the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and connections with fellow NGOs like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. It has partnered with academic institutions including the University of Lagos and civil society coalitions such as the Transition Monitoring Group and the West African Human Rights Defenders Network for programming on monitoring, litigation, and capacity building. Domestic support has come from philanthropic actors and foundations engaged in governance work across states like Lagos State and Rivers State.
Category:Human rights organisations based in Nigeria