The Nigerian Law Society (NLS), under the leadership of its President, Chief Mela A. Nunghe, SAN, MCIArb (UK), and Bencher, has issued a stern condemnation of a series of Executive Orders recently signed by the Governor of Niger State.
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The legal body described the directives as “a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” and an affront to the fundamental rights of citizens.
In a strongly worded statement released on Wednesday, April 23, the NLS highlighted grave concerns over several measures contained in the Executive Orders issued on April 22. Among the controversial directives are provisions authorizing the arrest and forcible shaving of citizens with dreadlocks, demolition of private properties without court orders, and confiscation of vehicles—actions the Society says are unlawful and unconstitutional.
“The directive to arrest and forcibly shave citizens with dreadlocks is discriminatory, dehumanizing, and violates the rights to dignity, privacy, and freedom from discrimination as guaranteed under Sections 34, 37, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution,” the statement read.
The Society also condemned reports of extrajudicial executions, describing them as a flagrant breach of Section 33(1) of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life, and Section 36(5), which presumes the innocence of every citizen until proven guilty in a court of law.
Calling on law enforcement and government institutions to reject unlawful commands, the NLS urged the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other heads of security agencies to refuse to execute the Niger State Governor’s orders. It also called on the Attorneys-General at both the state and federal levels to take urgent legal steps to address the situation.
“The Governor must return to democratic and constitutional governance. Security agencies must decline to implement these manifestly illegal orders,” the statement continued.
The NLS appealed to the judiciary, civil society organizations, and the general public to stand firm in defense of democratic values and the rule of law.
“We demand the immediate review and withdrawal of all unconstitutional elements of the Executive Orders. Security must never come at the expense of human rights and democratic accountability,” Chief Nunghe concluded.
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