Human Rights Watch Wants Obama To Tackle Buhari On Gay Rights, Others

HENRY OJELU.

As President Muhammed Buhari is in the United States on a state visit, Human Rights Watch, HRW as asked President Barack Obama to raise Nigeria’s human right abuse issues with Buhari.


Human Rights Watch also urged Obama to raise corruption issues with Buhari as well as the need to repeal the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, which became law during the administration of Nigeria’s previous president, Goodluck Jonathan. The law criminalizes public displays of affection between same-sex couples and penalizes organizations advocating the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people

President Buhari’s visit to the US, his first since he was elected in March, will focus on attempting to strengthen bilateral cooperation against terrorism in Nigeria, specifically against the militant Islamic rebel group Boko Haram. The visit will also seek to improve economic and trade relations.

HRW in a press release insisted that Obama should encourage Buhari to keep his commitment to ensure that government security forces respect human rights and to address the endemic corruption that has deprived many Nigerians of their basic rights.

“Buhari’s visit to Washington is an important moment to re-evaluate the US-Nigeria relationship, but any closer ties and assistance should be approached with caution,” said Sarah Margon, Washington director at Human Rights Watch.

“If the US is discussing further financial or technical support for Nigeria’s security forces it should insist on clear benchmarks on how they will ensure respect for human rights.

“Obama should press Buhari to immediately suspend any member of Nigeria’s security forces, including senior officers, for whom there is credible evidence of involvement in serious human rights abuses, and hold them to account in fair trials”, Human Rights Watch said.

View Comments (1)

  • I am a practical Christain and a female reseacher hence my comment is based on equality and fairness.

    As a matter of fact, every society has its traditions and beliefs as their heritage, in this regard, i state that the so-called HRW should let Nigerians decide wheather Gay marraiges should be legalised or not without exeternal interference.

    Sometimes i wonder!!!!!!!!!!!! i just wonder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Icant imagine what these so called World Power take us for, an isomers that they can play with or pupet they can manipulate.

    As popularly know "Africans are poverty stricken people". in the light the level of poverty surrounding Africa what task has HRW performed in giving the comman Africa man better life. Even when we go to their countries for greener pastures they make life hell for some of us. they chase us with migration police here and there. they implement laws that even kill some of our people before their time yet still they say HRW.

    They have reduced the cost of oil so much that its value is deminishing every day despite the benefit it generates to thei society at large (Bitumen is even waste from crude which they use in building their roads). on the contrary, their products like weapons, laboratotary equipments etc are still at the high side in the world market.

    HRW what are you doing about the poor masses dieing everyday in Libya, Nigeria and other part of the world. You choose to ligalise Gay etc but you dont have to impose it on us.

    As a matter of fact, Imposing any kind of marraige be it gay, hetero, bisex etc on us is a negation to the rule of HR being that Nigeria is a Sovereign state.
    please world power you have done enough damage to Africans, please its high time you let us do our things our way so we can sort out all these issues and develop our place.
    thank you