Amnesty International has strongly criticized Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for allegedly harassing and intimidating prominent human rights lawyer Chidi Odinkalu.
Reports indicate that Wike recently urged the country’s Body of Benchers to “invite and discipline” Odinkalu solely for his human rights advocacy and exercise of free speech. The Body of Benchers, through its Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), is responsible for disciplining erring lawyers in Nigeria.
Amnesty International warned against using the Body of Benchers as a tool to suppress peaceful dissent, emphasizing that no lawyer should face sanctions for upholding human rights and performing their professional duties. The organization urged Nigerian authorities to cease all forms of intimidation against Odinkalu and ensure that legal practitioners can operate without fear of reprisal.
The right to freedom of expression is enshrined in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, all of which Nigeria is a state party to.
Amnesty International further condemned the growing repression of civic space and attacks on human rights defenders in Nigeria, calling for an end to politically motivated harassment and the misuse of the justice system to stifle dissent. The organization reiterated that authorities must respect human rights and safeguard the independence of the legal profession.
