Human rights activists and lawyers operating under the banner of the Legion of Mary Social Justice Troopers have staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, demanding fair treatment for Nigerians and other people of African descent within foreign judicial and administrative systems.
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The protesters assembled at the Federal High Court on Tuesday before marching to the embassies of the United States and South Africa, where they submitted petitions outlining their concerns about alleged discrimination, unequal access to justice and failures to observe due process in matters involving Africans abroad.
They carried placards bearing inscriptions including, “Stop Discrimination Against Nigerians,” “Respect Due Process,” “Justice for African Descendants,” “Africa Must Rise,” and “End Judicial Bias Against Black Litigants.”
The group urged the Nigerian government, foreign authorities and the international community to give greater attention to complaints raised by Africans seeking justice outside the continent, particularly in the United States.
Addressing journalists during the protest, Barrister Okechukwu Okafor of Beverly Hills Chambers said the demonstration was organised to draw public attention to what the group considered challenges affecting access to justice for people of African descent in some foreign jurisdictions.
Okafor, who is one of the lawyers involved in a matter pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja, said the campaign was intended to encourage dialogue on due process, equality before the law and the experiences of African litigants overseas.
“This protest is peaceful, lawful and intended to draw attention to concerns we believe deserve public discussion. We are saying that justice should not depend on a person’s race or country of origin,” he said.
The lawyer stressed that the protesters were not asking foreign courts or governments to grant Nigerians preferential treatment but were demanding equal protection and access to justice.
“No one is asking for special treatment. What we demand is equal justice, equal access to the courts and equal protection under the law. Those principles are the foundation of every democratic society,” he said.
Okafor explained that the protest was also connected to a case pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja, which he said raised concerns about the treatment of Nigerians and other Africans within foreign legal systems.
He said the campaign was aimed at promoting closer attention to immigration procedures, judicial fairness, administrative transparency and the rights of African litigants.
The lawyer disclosed that petitions were submitted to the United States and South African embassies, asking the relevant authorities to consider the group’s complaints and promote fairness in judicial and administrative proceedings involving Nigerians and other Africans.
According to him, the protesters are seeking equal treatment for Nigerians appearing before foreign courts, transparent immigration-related decisions and strict compliance with internationally recognised principles of fairness and due process.
He maintained that the issues should be addressed through peaceful advocacy, institutional engagement and lawful public discussion.
“We have chosen peaceful advocacy to raise issues that we believe require attention. Our message is that Nigerians deserve to be treated with dignity wherever they are, and that justice should be administered fairly and without discrimination,” Okafor said.
The protesters called on Nigerian diplomatic missions to take a more active role in protecting the rights and interests of citizens facing legal or immigration difficulties abroad.
They also urged foreign governments to ensure that race, nationality or African origin did not influence access to courts, immigration decisions or the administration of justice.
The group said it would continue its advocacy through lawful means until its concerns received adequate attention from the relevant Nigerian and foreign authorities.
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