The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in strong terms the reported raids on night clubs in Abuja by the federal capital territory administration (FCTA) and the Police, stressing those citizens’ rights to freedom of association and movement cannot be abridged.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq stated in a statement in Abuja recently.
He called on the Police to desist from being used by any individual, group or government agency to carry out operations that may result in the violation of rights of citizens.
He said : “There is no law that prohibits anyone from moving in the night or gathering for recreational or social purposes, except perhaps there is a curfew to temporarily restrict movements within certain hours and for which the necessary authorities would have informed the people.
“The FCTA and the Police should respect the fundamental rights of citizens to freedom of movement and assembly and should not hide under any guise to breach or curtail these rights except in execution of the decision of the court of competent jurisdiction. The authorities must also adhere to human rights principles while carrying out their official duties to avoid molestation of citizens they are supposed to protect.
“We also state unequivocally that the reported plan by the FCTA authorities to embark on closure of some night clubs in Abuja without an order of a court of competent jurisdiction raises some fundamental issues which boarder on breach of economic, social and cultural rights.
“ We therefore urge the authorities of FCTA or their agents to desist from any further carrying out of this threat and to respect the fundamental rights of citizens” In the past, incidences like this are usually abused by the handlers to molest innocent citizens and sexually exploit them. FCTA authorities are directed to immediately release all the people arrested during the raid of the night clubs or charge them to court immediately and desist from any monetary or sexual exploitation of the victims,” Ojukwu stressed.
