Adedokun Waliyu 
The Federal Government should address the issue of human rights violations and abuses against the citizens to curb the spate of brain-drain in the country popularly known as ‘Japa’, the International Human Rights Commission advised on Saturday.
The organisation also called on political leaders to prioritise issues of infrastructure provision, Internet penetration and promotion of micro, small and medium scale enterprises for sustainable development of the nation, describing it as not a privilege, but the people’s right.
The IHRC’s Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Dr Duru Hezekiah, said these during a symposium organised in Abuja by the commission to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations.
According to him, the absence of adequate infrastructure and other development indices predisposes citizens to circumstance in which their rights are abused at home and in the Diaspora.
He said, “A country like Nigeria has never celebrated 24 hours of electricity supply, the oil regime management is shrouded in secrecy, the state of roads has never at any time been in the best shape for travellers, the public education sector is at its worst times, and lives are been wasted through incessant killings everywhere. These are just a few of the human rights infringements and abuses against Nigerians.
“Many of Nigeria’s best brains are migrating to the Western world because of hardship and insecurity. Many of the girls are being used as sex toys in foreign lands because there is no hope for them in their fatherland.
“We are, therefore, calling on the Nigerian government to prioritise the issues of electricity, roads, Internet penetration and MSMEs for the people. It is not a privilege, but a right of the people.”
