(SINL NIGERIA) The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, has urged stakeholders to reflect on the core values championed by Nelson Mandela – justice, dignity, equality, and compassion – as the international community observes World Mandela Day.
A statement by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages and made available to SINL Nigeria Online said Dr. Ojukwu made this known on the eve of the commemoration.
According to Ojukwu Mandela’s legacy serves as a powerful reminder of the need to promote and protect human rights, particularly in Nigeria’s correctional centers.
According to him, the current state of Nigeria’s correctional centers, which are overcrowded, under-resourced, and lack basic sanitation and healthcare, reflects a failure of infrastructure, justice, and humanity.
He bemoaned that thousands of citizens are held in pre-trial detention for years due to poverty and lack of access to justice, while the rich have greater access to quality legal defense and bail, perpetuating systemic bias.
The NHRC Executive Secretary urged the Nigerian government, judicial authorities, private sector, and civil society to prioritize comprehensive reforms in detention facilities and correctional centers, including improving conditions, investing in alternatives to pre-trial detention, ensuring speedy trials, and upholding the rights of inmates.
Dr. Ojukwu emphasized the need to tackle the root causes of incarceration, such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to justice, in order to build a society that values the dignity and human rights of all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status.
Nelson Mandela Day is celebrated annually on the 18th of July.
