Amnesty Int'l condemns harassment of human rights -lawyer Chidi Odinkalu by FCT Wike Minister

According to reports, Wike recently urged the country’s body of bankers to invite and discipline Odinkalu for his advocacy for human rights and the exercise of free speech. The Global Human Rights Organization, the Amnesty International, has what it describes as the harassment and intimidation of the prominent human rights lawyer, Chidi Odinkalu, by Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The global human rights body has called on the Nigerian government to immediately stop against Odinkalu and maintain the independence of the legal profession. According to reports, Wike recently urged the country’s body of bankers to invite and discipline Odinkalu for his advocacy for human rights and the exercise of free speech. The body of Benchers, who is responsible for supervision of legal practitioners in Nigeria, includes the Disciplinary Committee on Legal Practitioners (LPDC), which has the task of disciplining heresy. Amnesty International has expressed concern that the body of bankers is used as a tool to suppress peaceful division in Nigeria. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the organization noted that no lawyer should face sanctions or punishment for the defense of human rights or comply with their professional obligations. Amnesty International said that the right to freedom of expression is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution (as amended), as amended), the international covenant for citizen and political rights, and the Africa charter on the rights of people and people, to which Nigeria is a state party. about human rights defenders in the country. No lawyer should ever be sanctioned or punished for the peaceful exercise of their human rights and the execution of their professional duties. “Amnesty International calls on the Nigerian authorities to immediately stop the harassment and intimidation of Mr Odinkalu and publicly guarantee that all advocates in Nigeria can exercise their human rights freely and execute their legal professional activities without fear of retaliation.” The organization said: “The right to freedom of expression is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]The international covenant over civil and political rights and the African charter on the rights of people and people on which Nigeria is a state party. “The harassment of Chidi Odinkalu undermines the independence of the legal profession and illustrates the increasing oppression of civil space and attacks on human rights defenders and activists in the country.” Human rights -defenders and activists still hold intimidation and harassment and have politically motivated prosecution. The blatant disregard for the authorities of their constitutional and international human rights obligations must stop, “said Amnesty International. It is said:” Nigerian authorities must immediately stop the intimidation and harassment against Chidi Odinkalu and allow him to freely exercise his human rights and carry out his professional duties. “The authorities must stop abusing the justice system to close peaceful division. The authorities must maintain and secure the human rights of all and the independence of the legal profession in the country.”