…as Enugu hosts human rights conference
Ekpa Stanley Ekpa, Executive Director, Call a Lawyer, has said that the current institutional framework for protecting and promoting human rights of vulnerable Nigerians has become weak and ineffective.
Ekpa noted that the framework failed to work for the over “75% of Nigerians in rural areas in Nigeria who do not have access to legal representation, and given the literacy rate in Nigeria, more than 68% of Nigerians do not understand or know how to seek redress when their fundamental rights are infringed upon”.
He said there have been widening and persistent issues of human rights violations by non-state actors, state actors, and traditional practices, including extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture, forced disappearances, violations of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, abuse of the rights of women and girls through domestic violence and harmful traditional practices.
As part efforts to create awareness and encourage championing the cause of human rights ,Ekpa revealed that Call a Lawyer in partnership with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute had fixed July 2025 for the 2nd edition of the Nigeria Human Rights Conference in Enugu, Enugu State.
“In order to encourage lawyer’s commitment to human rights causes in Nigeria, the conference will honour lawyers and institutions who are working to advance, promote and protect human rights in Nigeria, with the Human Rights Honour (HRH 2025), as a way to deepen participation in promoting human rights in Nigeria, ensure efficiency in deployment of technology to ensure Justice for all, promote knowledge of human rights, strengthen access and efficiency of justice system and rule of law.
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He added that the Nigeria Human Rights Conference, is to galvanize stakeholders within the human rights community to sustain their commitment to protecting the rights of all Nigerians.
”In line with the theme of the conference “The Right to Development, Rule of Law in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Dream”, Ekpa,a Barrister noted that implementing Chapter Four of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria requires collective commitment to upholding rule of law, as “when the rights of any Nigerian is infringed upon, the rights of all Nigerians are threatened”, he noted.
Call a Lawyer Initiative, the organiser of the conference, is a community of young lawyers committed to providing pro bono legal services to vulnerable, indigent and marginalised individuals and communities, who cannot afford legal representation in Nigeria, works to advance and promote justice, advocate for policies that promote social justice, equality and due process.
To make the provisions of human rights under Chapter Four of the Constitution locally relevant, Call a Lawyer is also embarking on a targeted national human rights education in local languages in Nigeria, and has translated the human rights provisions of the Constitution into the major languages in Nigeria. The conference will explore best options for reaching local communities to provide human rights education in their dialects and local languages, and provide pro bono legal services for vulnerable communities.
The Government of Enugu State is therefore set to host the 2nd edition of the Nigeria Human Rights Conference and Human Rights Honour, and the unveiling of Volume Two of the Nigerian Human Rights Journal in Enugu, the largest gathering of Nigeria’s human rights community, with participants from Nigeria and other African countries.
The decision to hold the conference in Enugu State is informed by Governor Peter Mbah’s commitment to the right to development, particularly the rights of the people to education, healthcare, business enabling infrastructures, and firm commitment to the security of the people, which led to stopping the IPOB’s Monday “Sit-at-home” order in Enugu State.
The Governor Peter Mbah’s effort to decongest the Correctional Centres in Nigeria (as recent data from the Nigerian Correctional Service indicates that inmate population has reached 79,669, far surpassing the system’s capacity of just over 50,000 will be part of activities at the conference.
Out of this number, 52,771 are awaiting trial and the Governor granting clemency to deserving inmates, is strategic in decongesting and reducing the numbers).
However, PLO Lumumba, Professor and the Director of the Kenya School of Law, who also served as the Director of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission from July 2010 to August 2011 will be the Keynote Speaker with theme “The Right to Development, Rule of Law in Nigeria and the Nigerian Dream”.
While Obi Epiphany Azinge, Professor and SAN, the Asagba of Asaba is expected to serve as the Chairman of the conference, with speakers at the conference drawn from different sectors as issues of human rights is multidisciplinary and affect every aspect of society – speakers such as Femi Falana, SAN; Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, a professor a d SAN; Mohammed Tabiu,Professor and SAN, Simon Uchenna Ortuanya,Professor, popular, M.I Agbaga musician , Kabir Adamu, Foza Fawehinmi, Professor Uwakwe Abugu, Samuel Chisa Dike, professor, Randy Peter Akah, among others.
Bamidele Ibikunle, the Director (International Operations), Legal Aid Council of Nigeria noted that the partnership, particularly for the conference will bring together all stakeholders within the human rights community, with conversations focused on the extent of the application, preservation and protection of human rights in Nigeria, as well as the access and efficiency of justice system and rule of law in Nigeria.
The conference is divided into five critical sections, spanning from an opening session, panel sessions, closing dinner.
