The 2024 Ibrahim Index of African Governance has noted that rule of law and justice has continued to worsen in Nigeria.
The report focuses on 10-year change and trend between 2014 and 2023.
Countries listed for increasing deterioration of rule of law and justice include Cape Verde, Mauritius, Botswana, South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Benin, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Tunisia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Mali, Congo Republic.
Some of the measures used in ranking countries in terms of respect for rule of law and justice include executive compliance with rule of law, impartiality in judicial system, judicial processes, equality before the law, law enforcement, property rights, and public perception of rule of law.
The report also listed countries with increasing deterioration in terms of people’s rights.
Some of the rights featured and used to measure performance of countries included media freedom, digital freedom, freedom of expression and belief, protection against discrimination and public perception of freedom of speech.
Countries listed that have worsening deterioration in terms of these rights include Senegal, Tunisia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Guinea, Uganda, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Algeria, Eswatini, Djibouti, and Egypt.
This comes amid concerns about violations of human rights from state and non-state actors in the country.
Earlier, Amnesty International contextualised the issues of rights abuse in Nigeria.
“Defence and security forces used excessive force, mainly to disperse protests,” it said.
“People were tortured during police interrogation.
“Authorities continued to carry out forced evictions. Authorities failed to put in place measures to mitigate the impact of climate change.
“All parties to the armed conflict committed violations of international law. Cases of enforced disappearances were documented.”
On several occasions, government agencies have been accused of failing to obey court orders.
The World Justice Project had also ranked Nigeria high in-terms of lack of respect for the rule of law.
“The 2023 index released in Washington, D.C., United States, also showed that out of the 34 countries ranked in the sub-Saharan region, Nigeria is rated 23rd,” it said.
The World Justice Report noted that countries were judged on eight indicators listed as government powers, absence of corruption, open government, fundamental rights, order and security, regulatory enforcement, civil justice and criminal justice.