Reactions have started trailing moves by the United Kingdom Parliament to open debate on petition against Nigeria over the recent #EndSARS protest which rocked Nigeria, especially Lekki in Lagos state.
The UK parliament has said it would commence debate on Monday on a petition calling for global sanctions against the Nigerian Government including the Nigeria Police Force based on allegations of human rights breaches during the #EndSARS protests.
The British parliament which announced this via its website, said that the debate would be led by Theresa Villiers at the Westminster Hall between 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm.
In the debate pack entitled, “E-petition 554150, relating to Nigeria and the sanctions regime’”, the British parliament make references to alleged shootings of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020, as case study for debate.
It said, “Parliament will debate this petition on November 23, 2020. You will be able to watch online on the UK Parliament YouTube channel.
“On July 6, the British Government established the Global Human Rights sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.
“This sanctions regime will give the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. The sanctions regime is not intended to target individual countries. It will allow for sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities involved in serious human rights violations or abuses around the world.”
However, this move has elicited mixed reactions among Nigerians. While some Nigerians believe that the move is in the right direction, others argue that the action amounts to over dramatization by old colonial powers who still want to lord it over its former colony in a modern world.
Centre for Accountability and Good Governance(CAGG) hailed the move as a welcome one as it would help put the police abuses in total check and control in Nigeria and in other international jurisdictions where such abuses are established.
Recall that the UK parliament in its website while justifying the debate had said, the sanctions regime is not intended to target individual countries but it would “allow for sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities involved in serious human rights violations or abuses around the world.”
However, some Nigerians sampled argue that the action is like a throw back to colonial era when the British ruled over Nigeria, stressing that it would be better the UK Parliament focus on strengthening and building the capacity and institutional capabilities of law enforcement institutions in Nigeria.
According to them reforming the police, strengthening its capacity and enhancing its institutional delivery capabilities are what Nigerians need at this point under a constitutional government because sanctions would allow hamper the poor unless they are specifically targeted at individual violators.
