THE BOARD members, Management, and Staff of the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, organized a retreat in Port Harcourt between Thursday, MARCH 19TH and SUNDAY, MARCH 22ND, 2026. The aim was to reposition the organization for better service to humanity and for greater impact.
During the Retreat, participants used the opportunity to examine the state of the nation with respect to the impacts of state performances on citizens and human rights. The discussions focused on the political landscape, human and environmental rights/civic space, economic situation, and security, among others. It was noted that the government has performed very poorly. Governance has been abandoned as those in power are more concerned about recapturing power and entrenching themselves in office beyond 2027.
Concerns raised include:
Political Landscape
- Democracy has been replaced with a dictatorship in which all the other arms of the government are collapsed into the executive. The legislature and the judiciary have become lackeys of the executive. It is as if they exist just to do the bidding of the executive. The principle of separation of power has been eroded.
- Corruption, weak institutions, and political patronage have taken center stage. No serious actions are taken to tackle the menace. Instead, corrupt politicians are guaranteed protection if they join the ruling party.
- Governments at all levels seem to be more interested in extorting revenues from citizens, rather than delivering services that would better the lives of citizens.
Human and Environmental Rights/Civic Spaces
Human rights situation across the country is worrisome and scary. Oil spillages, gas flaring, as well as leakages have continued to harm the right to a safe environment in the Niger Delta. This poses a serious challenge to the right to health and right to life. Security operatives attached to oil facilities contribute to human rights violations in the process of protecting their oil facilities. They often use excessive force to repress citizens’ voices. Little or nothing has been done to redress the situation.
As electioneering processes towards the 2027 elections start, the desperate ruling party has started creating obstacles to close the civic space and prevent other parties or rival parties from participating freely in the political space. The constriction of the environment has resulted in an environment of fear, tension, intimidation, etc. Freedom of assembly and peaceful protests have been stifled, with authorities sometimes threatening to crack down on protesters and dissenting voices. Recently, agents and thugs of the ruling APC party in Rivers State warned that no other party apart from the APC should carry out political activities, including campaigns in different parts of the state. Free speech and freedom of the press have also been trampled upon. Critical press are gagged.
Economic Situation
- The economy heavily relies on crude oil.
- Rising cost of living occasioned by fuel subsidy removal, continued rise in fuel price, as well as devaluation of the naira, has hit citizens hard. The recent hike in fuel prices, blamed on the Iran VS U.S and Isreal war, only exposes the failure of Nigeria to refine fuel locally. Yet, the country has refineries in addition to the much hyped Dangote Refineries
- Unemployment & underemployment- EXTREME POVERTY, inequality have continued to soar despite the rich natural and human resources that the country is blessed with.
- Power supply remains unreliable and very epileptic. It is on record that Aso Rock HAS EXITED FROM NEPA AND NOW RELIES ON AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF POWER SUPPLY AS A RESULT OF FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE ELECTRICITY AVAILABLE.
Security Challenges
Insecurity is one of the biggest concerns. Terrorism by different terror groups such as BOKO HARAM, FULANI HERDSMEN, BANDITS, in different parts of the country, is frightening. The government seems to have lost control of the situation, while citizens’ rights to security and safety of human persons are trampled with impunity. An uncountable number of people have been killed or kidnapped and many communities destroyed by these terrorists who operate without any form of restraint.
OUR DEMANDS
STEPS should be taken to ensure that the principle of separation of powers is upheld and respected. Citizens, CSOs and the media should focus attention on legislators who have abandoned their legislative oversight functions just to do the bidding of the executive. Judicial officers, particularly judges, should detach themselves from the apron string of politicians. The National Judicial Council should call the political judges to order and begin to punish erring judicial officers.
The duty to protect and promote human rights falls on the shoulders of the state. We therefore, call on the Nigerian state to take serious actions to protect the rights of citizens. Those involved in human rights violations should be fished out and dealt with accordingly. The civic space should be protected. Political thugs and politicians who threaten violence against opposition politicians or parties, should be fished out also, and prosecuted for treason. Any party or politician that operates contrary to the constitution should be made to face severe punishments.
Our environment is our life. Serious steps should be taken to protect the environment. Gas flaring should be stopped and oil facilities overhauled to ascertain their integrity. OVER-AGED AND ABANDONED PIPELINES CONTRIBUTE TO OIL POLLUTION IN THE NIGEER DELTA, including re-pollution of areas that are under clean-up.
While we commend HYPREP for success recorded so far in the CLEAN UP IN OGONILAND, we call for proper decommissioning of abandoned and over-aged facilities in Ogoniland as recommended by UNEP. REPORT rather than resumption of oil activities in Ogoni. THIS IS TO AVOID THE RE-POLLUTION OF AREAS CLEANED UP BY HYPREP.
The government should take urgent actions to bring down the cost of living, which has continued to skyrocket in response to bad government policies such as fuel subsidy removal, hikes in electricity tariffs, and an excessive Taxation regime. The government should intentionally reduce the price of fuel and the electricity tariff.
The government should bring the seemingly moribund refineries back to life and make them operational. Crude oil should also be supplied to the refineries locally.
The government should stop shielding politicians who are involved in the massive looting of public treasuries.
Government should weed out members and supporters of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups who have been smuggled into different security formations, especially, the Military and the Police Force.
CEHRD is a foremost Nigerian human and Environmental rights organization based in Port harcour. CEHRD remains committed to working with communities to protect Livelihood, demand accountability, promote Human Rights and Environmental Justice.
Signed:
Chief Constance Meju
Chairperson,
Board of Trustees
Dr. NUBARI NABIE
Coordinator.
CEHRD
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