General
Human Rights Watch Tasks Tinubu on Media Freedom, Security
By Adedapo Adesanya
Human Rights Watch has tasked Nigeria’s incoming President, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to ensure that human rights and media freedom are central to all his policies both at home and abroad.
The rights body on Thursday outlined key human rights priorities for the new administration and urged the new administration to prioritize improvements in five key areas.
They are: to promote civilian protection in conflict areas; respect and protect media freedom and the right to free expression; bolster the social safety net to tackle entrenched poverty and inequality; protect and promote the rights of internally displaced people; and adopt a foreign policy that centres human rights.
“Tinubu is set to take the reins at a time of deep uncertainty about the nation’s affairs, including worsening poverty and inequality, high levels of insecurity, and recurrent violations of civil and political rights,” said Mr Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Once in office, the president-elect should focus on these critical issues and try to reverse course on significant human rights backsliding.”
Mr Tinubu, who was declared winner of the February 2023 presidential elections, is to be inaugurated on May 29 for a four-year term. The elections were marred with irregularities, including violence at the polls and an inability to upload election results from polling units in real-time.
The inauguration occurs amid petitions challenging Mr Tinubu’s victory at the Court of Appeal, which functions as the presidential election tribunal.
In his campaign manifesto, Mr Tinubu emphasized “security of life and property” as a top priority for his administration. He stated that part of his strategy to achieve this is to “first pull most Nigerians out of poverty and provide the basic needs for a decent life and social justice for all, irrespective of region, tribe, and religion.”
Human Rights Watch urged President-elect Tinubu, once in office, to act on his campaign promises to tackle critical levels of insecurity, ensure civilian protection and accountability for rights abuses, protect Nigerians’ rights to freedom of expression, and prioritize efforts towards the realization of an adequate standard of living for all.
“The incoming administration should also support constitutional democracies, especially in West Africa, and stand up for fundamental rights and democratic freedoms in its foreign policy considerations,” it said in a statement.
It noted that Nigeria has failed to ensure economic and social rights for everyone, including the right to an adequate standard of living.
“According to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 133 million people live in multidimensional poverty, experiencing high levels of deprivation in areas including sanitation, health care, food, and housing. Inequality has also reached extreme levels as the gap between the rich and the poor widens alarmingly.
“However, the country lacks a functioning social security system to protect against economic shocks and income insecurity throughout people’s lives, including during common life events such as old age, unemployment, sickness or giving birth, and caring for dependents.
“In the Northwest, gangs commonly called “bandits” carry out widespread killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and looting. In the Northeast, the conflict between the Islamist armed group Boko Haram, its breakaway factions, and the Nigerian security forces has killed an estimated 350,000 civilians and created a humanitarian crisis that includes the displacement of more than 2 million civilians within Nigeria and over 280,000 to Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. In the Southeast, anti-government groups clamouring for secession kill and maim people to enforce their sit-at-home order requiring people to stay home to shut down all public places, including businesses and schools.
“Security forces responding to the insecurity and in other instances across the country are implicated in gross human rights abuses including arbitrary arrests, illegal detention, and extrajudicial killings. Security forces also use excessive force to suppress citizens’ rights to protest, while the authorities have repeatedly failed to hold officers responsible for abuses to account.
“Government actions also indicate significant regression on the right to free expression and media freedom. These include an eight-month ban on Twitter in 2021, efforts to introduce a social media bill aimed at criminalizing government critics, arrests and detentions of critics and journalists, and sanctions on media outlets for critical reporting,” the group noted.
“Tinubu promised to address the cycle of violence, injustices, and endemic poverty that millions of Nigerians face daily.
“The incoming president should put his words into action by taking steps to improve human rights and ensuring that his administration shows the utmost regard for the rule of law and democratic principles,” Mr Ewing added.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About $20 million has been put down by Swedfund to support efforts that limit climate change in Africa and help communities adapt to its effects.
The funds would be deployed by the Helios Climate, Energy, Adaptation and Resilience (CLEAR) Fund to back African companies that reduce emissions, strengthen resilience and create green jobs.
Swedfund’s investment is expected to contribute to significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and to help businesses and small farmers adapt to a changing climate.
The investment strengthens Swedfund’s work to drive a sustainable and inclusive green transition in Africa.
Africa contributes less than 3 per cent of global carbon emissions but faces some of the most severe climate impacts. At the same time, the continent’s energy demand is expected to triple by 2050.
Swedfund’s investment in Helios CLEAR will help channel capital to businesses that drive low-carbon growth in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable transport, climate-smart farming, efficient use of resources and digital climate solutions.
“By investing in this sector, we can reduce emissions, build resilience and create green jobs, all vital for sustainable growth that benefits more people.
“Africa currently receives only a small share of global climate investment, yet the potential for climate-smart business is enormous.
“Through Helios CLEAR we help build the next generation of African climate-focused businesses,” the Investment Director for Energy and Climate at Swedfund, Ms Gunilla Nilsson, stated.
Helios CLEAR Fund is a Pan African growth equity fund managed by Helios Investment Partners, one of Africa’s leading private equity firms.
The fund targets investments that deliver measurable climate mitigation and adaptation outcomes. The fund is supported by multiple development finance institutions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Abdussamad Dasuki, has alleged that the gazetted tax laws are different from the ones passed by the National Assembly.
Speaking on Wednesday during plenary at the green chamber, the opposition lawmaker the emphasised that content of the tax laws as gazetted was not what members of the parliament debated, voted on and passed.
In June 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed the four tax reform bills into law, becoming an act. The new laws are the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA), 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act (NTAA), 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act (NRSEA), 2025, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act (JRBEA), 2025.
In September, they were gazetted by the federal government.
On the floor of the House yesterday, presided over by the Speaker, Mr Tajudeed Abbas, Mr Dasuki, while raising a matter of privilege, after reviewing the gazetted law and what was passed, he found out some discrepancies, appealing to the Speaker to ensure that all relevant documents, including the harmonised versions, the votes and proceedings of both chambers, and the gazetted copies currently in circulation, are brought before the Committee of the Whole for scrutiny by all members.
He warned that allowing laws different from those duly passed by the National Assembly to be presented to Nigerians would undermine the integrity of the legislature and violate constitutional provisions.
“Mr. Speaker, I will be pleading that all the documents should be brought before the Committee of the Whole.
“The whole members should see what is in the gazetted copy and see what they passed on the floor so that we can make the relevant amendment. Mr Speaker, this is the breach of the Constitution.
“This is the breach of our laws, and this should not be taken by this House,” Mr Dasuki said when rising under Order Six, Rule Two of the House Rules on a Point of Privilege.
In his remarks, Mr Abbas promised that the parliament would look into the matter.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Over 90 illegal mining sites have been reclaimed and 300 offenders prosecuted since the deployment of the Mining Marshals, a specialised task force established to secure Nigeria’s mineral assets.
This information was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, at the South West Leaders Conference held recently in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
He described the crackdown as a turning point in the battle against mineral theft and insecurity in mining communities.
“We created the Mining Marshals to tackle insecurity and illegal mining head-on. I’m proud to say that peace is returning to our mining fields,” he said.
According to Mr Alake, the initiative has strengthened investor confidence and improved government revenue.
“When you protect the minerals, you protect national wealth. That’s exactly what we’ve done with the Mining Marshals,” he stated.
He noted that beyond arrests and reclamations, the Marshals have restored safety in key mining corridors and curbed the activities of illegal foreign operators. “We are taking back control of our natural resources from criminal networks,” Mr Alake emphasised.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining the momentum through digital surveillance, stronger local intelligence, and inter-agency coordination.
“Our success proves that security is the bedrock of sustainable mining. We will keep refining this model until every site in Nigeria is safe, legal, and productive,” he added.
Launched last year, the marshals were given the mandate to stem theft and all nefarious activities around the nation’s minerals so that benefits are not extracted by the wrong people.
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