Stakeholders Caution Security Agencies On Rights Violation

Stakeholders in the Niger Delta have advised security operatives against trampling on the rights and dignity of Nigerians in the course of discharging their duties.
This was part of the resolutions at the end of a two conference on public security in the Niger Delta on voluntary principles on security and human rights organised in Port Harcourt by Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE) in collaboration with working group on the voluntary principles initiative on security and Human Rights.
In his lecture on human rights and the 1999 constitution, Pastor Innocent Adjenughure said that violating human dignity amounts to reducing victims to subhuman status, stressing that the essence of human rights is to protect human dignity.
According to him, security personnel were trained on issues of human rights and the need to protect and promote them, adding that violations of rights amounts to disrespect of the 1999 constitution.
“They were also trained on how to carry out proper risk assessment to ensure the rights of citizens are upheld and respected while protecting company facilities.
“Human rights violation manifesting inform of injustice, discrimination and marginalisation were identified as part of the causes of conflicts and agitations in the society”, he said.
In his own presentation the Executive Director of LITE. Africa, Hon. Joel Bisina said that the training was important because of the volatility of the Niger Delta and the entire country.
He Binina stressed the need for the security agencies to always by mediatory roles, rather than being on the side of the oppressors wherever there is conflict between the country they were attached to and community members.