REFLECTION ON THE EVOLUTION AND CONTINUOUS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The article examines the historical evolution of human rights in Nigeria from the pre-colonial era, colonial era, post-independence era: inclusive of the military era and the present civilian-democratic era of 1999. The paper generally acknowledged the fact that the past co-exist with the present as history is a study of both change and of continuity. The authors argued that the issues of human rights violations are not associated with a particular era in the Nigerian history, premised on the fact that there was observed in Nigerian pre-colonial era the principles of human right, even though without any enactment to guide the observance. Furthermore, that the British Colonial administration merely harvested and documented the scattered vagaries of species of theoretical aspect of human rights in Nigeria and that the democratic era of the Nigerian government has made very little or no improvement in the protection of human rights on assumption of office. Consequently, the paper maintained that the observance, protection and violations of human rights have predated colonial administration in Nigeria.