As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA) has called for stronger commitment to justice, human rights, accountability and the rule of law as essential pillars of the nation’s freedom.
The organisation, in an Independence Day statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, said Nigeria’s independence should be assessed not merely by the years since the country gained sovereignty, but by the extent to which citizens enjoy dignity, liberty, security, equality and access to justice.
Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule on October 1, 1960, with the Federal Government declaring October 1, 2026, a public holiday to commemorate the 66th anniversary.
SOJA said the meaning of independence must extend beyond political sovereignty to include freedom from injustice, corruption, impunity, unlawful discrimination, oppression, insecurity and violations of fundamental human rights.
“True independence must also mean freedom from injustice, corruption, impunity, unlawful discrimination, oppression, insecurity and the denial of fundamental human rights,” the organisation said.
It maintained that the strength of Nigeria’s democracy and governance depended on respect for the supremacy of the law and the ability of institutions to apply it fairly and impartially.
According to SOJA, no citizen should be above the law, just as no individual should be denied its protection. It therefore stressed that government institutions, security agencies, public officials, corporations and private citizens must all operate within the Constitution and applicable laws.
The organisation warned that the normalisation of impunity could erode public confidence in government and state institutions.
It also called for stronger protection of fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and international human-rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
Among the rights it highlighted were the rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
SOJA urged authorities to strengthen mechanisms for protecting vulnerable Nigerians, preventing unlawful detention and torture, combating violence and ensuring that victims of human-rights violations have effective access to justice.
On corruption, the organisation said the issue was directly linked to the protection of citizens’ rights, noting that corruption deprives the country of resources required to provide education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, justice and other essential public services.
It, however, cautioned that anti-corruption efforts must themselves comply with due process and the right to fair hearing.
“Accountability must never be selective, and the fight against corruption must never become a substitute for justice,” SOJA said.
On national security, the organisation acknowledged the constitutional responsibility of security and law-enforcement agencies to protect lives and property, but insisted that security operations must remain subject to the law.
It said efforts to combat terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, cybercrime, communal violence, trafficking, illegal mining and other crimes should not be used to justify the abandonment of constitutional safeguards or the dignity of persons in custody.
“Security and human rights are not enemies. A lawful State must protect both,” it stated.
SOJA also urged Nigerians to play an active role in nation-building by rejecting corruption, speaking out against injustice, respecting the rights of others, obeying lawful authority, demanding accountability and participating constructively in democratic processes.
The organisation said Nigeria should become a country where speaking against injustice is not regarded as disloyalty, peaceful advocacy is respected, public institutions are accountable to the law, and victims can pursue justice without fear or favour.
The call came as the Federal Government used the 66th anniversary to highlight its reform agenda and efforts towards economic stability, growth and shared prosperity.
President Bola Tinubu, in his Independence Day address, acknowledged the challenges Nigeria had faced since independence, including civil war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval, while reiterating his administration’s focus on reforms, employment, production and prosperity.
SOJA said the anniversary should equally serve as an opportunity for Nigerians to undertake an honest assessment of the country’s achievements and persistent challenges.
Jimoh reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting human rights, justice, accountability, anti-corruption, the rule of law, democratic values and respect for human dignity.
He urged Nigerians to work towards making independence increasingly meaningful to ordinary citizens by ensuring that freedom is protected by law, justice is accessible to all, public power is exercised responsibly and the dignity of every person is respected.
