Civil Society groups are concerned about some human rights abuse that continues to threaten the country’s democracy.
The Stakeholders Democracy Network at a CSO roundtable in Port Harcourt highlighted these infractions, calling on the government at levels to take urgent action.
The Civic Space talks about the freedom of movement, association, and expression in order to influence the social and political structures
wherever they find themselves.
For decades, many activists have fought to expand the space even to the point of paying the ultimate price, but Civil Society Organizations like the Stakeholders Democracy Network say the Nigerian reality is still far from the ideal.
In Rivers State in Particular, they identify persisting issues ranging
from high handedness of security agencies to abuse of power by the
political class.
For the rights activists, the Civic arena will continue to shrink until
there is a functional system for accountability of government and other state actors.
Of great concern are the panels of inquiry set up by state governments after the End Sars Protests in 2020 that have failed to yield the expected results.
To further protect the society, the CSOs say there will be training for
police and paramilitary groups in Rivers State on the application of the
Nigerian Police Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
