The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rights

  • Lafarge Africa’s board meets on N140b rights issue

    Lafarge Africa’s board meets on N140b rights issue

    The board of directors of Lafarge Africa Plc will tomorrow hold an extraordinary meeting to consider the terms of the cement group’s new capital raising. Shareholders of Lafarge Africa had recently authorised the board of directors of the cement company to raise new equity capital up to N140 billion in a major move to deleverage the cement group.

    Company Secretary, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs Edith Onwuchekwa, in a statement at the weekend stated that the directors would be considering the terms of the rights issue at the Tuesday meeting.

    Lafarge Africa plans to raise the new equity fund through a rights issue, implying that only existing and qualified shareholders will participate in the new issue. The shares will be pre-allotted to shareholders on the basis of their shareholdings as at a predetermined date.

    Lafarge Africa had planned to launch its rights issue later this month and finalise the offer by the fourth quarter.

    LafargeHolcim, which holds the majority equity stake of 72.59 per cent in Lafarge Africa Plc, has indicated it will subscribe fully to its rights. LafargeHolcim will pick up its rights under a debt-for-equities deal that will see conversion of LafargeHolcim’s dollar-based loan to equities.

    Many Nigerian shareholders had raised objections to the debt-for-equities deal, which they said could give the majority core investor undue advantage to increase its controlling equity stake in the company.

    Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, said the recapitalisation would help to reduce the group’s exposure to adverse foreign currency translation losses as experienced in 2016 following a 40 per cent depreciation of the Naira against the Dollar.

    He noted that the decision of LafargeHolcim to convert existing loans into equity demonstrates the core investor’s continued belief in the Nigeria story, pointing out that the rights issue is the largest so far in the Nigerian capital market and the largest investment in a listed company by an investor.

    According to him, the rights issue will help to reduce the group’s foreign currency exposure by 50 per cent while the remaining portion of the debt, with the support from LafargeHolcim, has been refinanced and hedged for 12 months.

    Balogun said the company has been positioned for better performance in the years ahead as benefits of the turnaround plan launched in the third quarter of 2016 were already counting in the fourth quarter of 2016.

    “We have increased local sourcing of critical materials to lower foreign exchange component of our operational costs. Finally, we are working on a new route to market initiative and improvements in logistics with increased vehicle turn-around and size of fleet of third party providers,” Balogun said.

    Group Managing Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Michel Puchercos, said the acquisition of Unicem in 2016 was in line with the group’s capacity expansion plans.

    He noted that doubling of the production capacity of the Mfamosing plant in Calabar to 5.0 million metric tons per annum has contributed significantly to Lafarge Africa’s capacity and footprint in Nigeria as it provides an opportunity to increase the group’s share of the cement market in the South East and South regions.

  • Union Bank floats N50b rights issue Wednesday

    Union Bank floats N50b rights issue Wednesday

    Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc has concluded arrangements to float its N50 billion rights issue on Wednesday as the first generation bank seeks to regain its leadership in the banking industry.

    Union Bank plans to raise N49.745 billion from existing shareholders through a rights issue of 12.133 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N4.10 per share. The rights issue has been pre-allotted on the basis of five new ordinary shares of 50 kobo each for every seven ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Monday August 21, 2017.

    Application for the rights issue will open on Wednesday and close on Monday October 30, 2017.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, has said the new capital raising is critical to the bank’s short to medium term business objectives as the new equity funds will support the bank’s strategy to accelerate business growth and position it as a leading commercial bank in Nigeria.

    The bank has kicked off a roadshow to sensitise shareholders with an event in Enugu last week. Shareholders’ fora will also be held in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja later this month.

    Chapel Hill Advisory Partners Limited is Lead Issuing House to the offer. FSDH Merchant Bank Limited and Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited are Joint Issuing Houses.

    Established in 1917 and listed on the NSE in 1971, Union Bank is a household name and one of Nigeria’s long-standing financial institutions.

    Key extracts of the six-month report of UBN for the period ended June 30, 2017 had shown that gross earnings rose by 23 per cent to N73.7 billion in first half 2017 as against N60.1 billion recorded in first half 2016.

    Profit before tax rose marginally by six per cent from N8.9 billion to N9.5 billion. Customer deposits grew by 15 per cent to N759.3 billion in 2017 as against N658.4 billion in 2016.

  • Union Bank gets SEC’s approval for N50b rights issue

    Union Bank gets SEC’s approval for N50b rights issue

    Nigeria’s apex capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has approved the application by Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc to raise about N50 billion in new equity funds from existing shareholders.

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) had earlier approved the offer. The approvals from the regulatory authorities followed earlier resolutions by shareholders of the bank, mandating the board of directors to raise new capital.

    Union Bank yesterday stated that the approvals by the regulatory agencies were the green light for the raising of the tier 1 capital to proceed.

    UBN plans to raise N49.745 billion through a rights issue of 12.133 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N4.10 per share. The rights issue has been pre-allotted on the basis of five new ordinary shares of 50 kobo each for every seven ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Monday August 21, 2017.

    The bank stated that it anticipates that the rights issue will be open for subscription in September 2017.

    Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, said the approval by Sec brought the bank to the final stages of this important transaction.

    He noted that the new capital raising is critical to the bank’s short to medium term business objectives.

    “The capital raised from the rights issue will support our strategy to accelerate business growth and position Union Bank as a leading commercial bank in Nigeria,” Emuwa said.

    Chapel Hill Advisory Partners Limited is Lead Issuing House to the offer while FSDH Merchant Bank Limited and Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited are Joint Issuing Houses.

    Established in 1917 and listed on the NSE in 1971, Union Bank is a household name and one of Nigeria’s long-standing financial institutions.

    Key extracts of the six-month report of UBN for the period ended June 30, 2017 had shown that gross earnings rose by 23 per cent to N73.7 billion in first half 2017 as against N60.1 billion recorded in first half 2016. Profit before tax rose marginally by six per cent from N8.9 billion to N9.5 billion. Customer deposits grew by 15 per cent to N759.3 billion in 2017 as against N658.4 billion in 2016.

  • Shareholders approve Lafarge Africa’s N140b rights issue

    Shareholders approve Lafarge Africa’s N140b rights issue

    Shareholders of Lafarge Africa Plc yesterday authorised the board of directors of the cement company to raise new equity capital up to N140 billion in a major move to deleverage the cement group.

    Lafarge Africa plans to raise the new equity fund through a rights issue, implying that only existing and qualified shareholders will participate in the new issue. The shares will be pre-allotted to shareholders on the basis of their shareholdings as at a predetermined date.

    LafargeHolcim, which holds the majority equity stake of 72.59 per cent, has indicated it will subscribe fully to its rights. LafargeHolcim will pick up its rights under a debt-for-equities deal that will see conversion of LafargeHolcim’s dollar-based loan to equities.

    With the approval by shareholders, the rights issue is expected to be launched in late September and finalised by the fourth quarter.

    Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, said the recapitalisation would help to reduce the group’s exposure to adverse foreign currency translation losses as experienced in 2016 following a 40 per cent depreciation of the Naira against the Dollar.

    He noted that the decision of LafargeHolcim to convert existing loans into equity demonstrates the core investor’s continued belief in the Nigeria story, pointing out that the rights issue is the largest so far in the Nigerian capital market and the largest investment in a listed company by an investor.

    According to him, the rights issue will help to reduce the group’s foreign currency exposure by 50 per cent while the remaining portion of the debt, with the support from LafargeHolcim, has been refinanced and hedged for 12 months.

    Balogun said the company has been positioned for better performance in the years ahead as benefits of the turnaround plan launched in the third quarter of 2016 were already counting in the fourth quarter of 2016.

    “We have increased local sourcing of critical materials to lower foreign exchange component of our operational costs. Finally, we are working on a new route to market initiative and improvements in logistics with increased vehicle turn-around and size of fleet of third party providers,” Balogun said.

    Group Managing Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Michel Puchercos, said the acquisition of Unicem in 2016 was in line with the group’s capacity expansion plans.

    He noted that doubling of the production capacity of the Mfamosing plant in Calabar to 5.0 million metric tons per annum has contributed significantly to Lafarge Africa’s capacity and footprint in Nigeria as it provides an opportunity to increase the group’s share of the cement market in the South East and South regions.

    He added that the group plans to increase the use of alternative fuel or biomass and locally mined coal to lessen high energy cost and production disruptions due to gas supply shortages.

  • What rights have consumers?

    What rights have consumers?

    Today is not your usual Sunday, but Easter Sunday. Happy Easter to all our readers and as we dine and wine, may we not forget the message of Easter, which is Jesus Christ reconciling we sinners to God through his death on the cross. May we enjoy the benefits of that sacrifice on the cross.

    Now to the main topic of today, which is ‘What rights have Nigerian consumers’?

    Mrs. Ronny Ajumobi bought a micro wave oven from Balogun Market, Lagos Island. On getting home, she realised that the micro wave oven was faulty as it was not working at all. She had paid N30,000 for the electrical equipment.

    Exasperated, she took the micro wave oven back to the seller. The seller, as expected, said it was not his fault but that of the manufacturer in which case Ajumobi would have to wait until he contact the manufacturer. Offering her another option, he asked her to bring money so he could repair the supposedly brand new equipment she bought from him.

    Disappointed and feeling there was no other way out, Ajumobi obliged and paid N2,000 for the repairs.

    One week later, she collected the micro wave oven back, but it was not performing efficiently. She then asked the seller to refund her the full money she paid for the equipment or exchange it with another brand, but the man vehemently refused, alleging that the kitchen equipment spoilt because the woman handled it carelessly.

    If you are Ajumobi, what will you do? Theoretically, it is said that a customer is the king of the market. Though in most developed countries that is the case while in Nigeria and some other countries it is not so. Customers are still treated anyhow and taken for granted. Our rights are trampled upon and the heart breaking part of it is that the majority of the consumers do nothing about it other than saying, “I leave it to God.”

    However, some people may not really be blamed. An uninformed consumer cannot effectively insist on her rights and seek redress.

    Consumers had little protection in the world market place before the 1950s but on March 15th. 1962, the then American President, John F. Kennedy, introduced the ‘Consumer Bill of Right’ to help consumers understand their rights and responsibilities. Hence, the celebration of World Consumer Rights Day, every March 15th.

    The guidelines of that Consumer Bill of Rights form the internationally agreed laws necessary for consumer protection, of good practice in their implementation and of other actions needed to promote consumer rights.

    As a consumer, you have the following rights and you must insist on them. First and foremost, you have the basic rights which guarantee survival, adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care, education and healthy environment.

    Now going further, as an everyday consumer who transacts business with people, interacts with people and lives in a community, there are certain rights which accrue to you and which you must not ignore.

    The right to information: You have the right to be protected against dishonest or misleading advertising and labelling and the right to be given the facts and information needed to make an informed choice.

    Do not buy any products without a label or name and address of the manufacturer. If they are hiding their identity, they are likely to be fakes.

    Many of us have made the mistakes of signing papers and documents without actually reading and understanding the contents. It is important to read and understand all provisions in documents, like warranties and guarantees before appending our signatures.

    The right to choose: I have been to a shop where I was asked not to touch anything before paying. I was asked to use only my eyes. I rebuffed them. Consumers have the right to carefully compare one product with another so as to determine which one will serve them better.

    Be wary of special offers like, ‘buy one get one free’ or ‘buy two take one free’ or ‘buy three for the price of two’. Compare them with the regular priced items to be sure that you are not paying for the said free items.

    Also check to see the expiry date if the price being offered is far cheaper than the original price.

    Safety: As consumers, we have the right to be protected against the marketing of goods or the provision of services that are hazardous to health and life.

    Apart from what the government is doing in this area, as a consumer, to protect yourself, especially if you have sensitivity to a certain ingredient, it will be very beneficial to read all labels and product circulars before using a certain product.

    If you are in a store and have doubts about a product’s effectiveness, ask for a person in store who knows how the product works and how to operate it.

    The right to representation: Consumers have the right to express their interest in the making and execution of government policies. Usually, different consumer groups depending on what the issues are represent the larger bodies in government policies. Be aware of how the consumer laws and regulations are being implemented in your locality.

    Right to redress: Every consumer has the right to redress, which is the right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods or unsatisfactory issues. But rather than pursue that right when the need arises, we attribute it to ‘the will of God’ or ‘I leave it for God to judge’.

    After reading this piece, change your attitude and pursue your right. If you buy a defective product, go back to the store and request for a replacement, refund, or to have the defective item repaired.

    If the manager ignores your complaints, proceed to the agency that has jurisdiction over your case, like the Consumer Protection Council, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) or contact Consumer watch or any media house.

    Bring the necessary documents, like complaint letter and your receipt, and other documents you deem are vital for the mediation. Also, make sure you attend the mediation conference yourself.

    To be continued.

  • ‘Responsible leaders‘ll guarantee minority rights’

    ‘Responsible leaders‘ll guarantee minority rights’

    Human right activist Dr. Fred Agbeyegbe has urged minority ethnic groups to elect responsible leaders to defend their rights.

    He spoke at the Boyo Nextgen Family Foundation and Public Lecture held at Golden Tulip, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.

    In a lecture titled: The Critical Role of Strong Families in the Survival of Minority Ethnic Groups in Nigeria, Agbeyegbe said minority groups would continue to be marginalised because the constitution did not give them adequate protection.

    He said Nigeria stands on a tripod made up of the Igbo, Yoruba and the Hausa, which never bothered about what happens to the other ethnic groups.

    He added: “Unfortunately, the three groups because they have been preferred, did not bother to find out what happens to the rest of the people. In no times, the Igbo discovered that the right to ruler-ship they thought the membership of that club will bestow on them was always monopolised by the two members of that club.

    “It resulted in a loggerhead and as this loggerhead continued, those who claimed to be born to rule, sat at the podium while Nigeria became a doom in the hands of those who wanted it for a particular purpose.

    “The British policy in Nigeria never helped the situation because they were interested in a particular part of the country.

    “The leadership of Nigeria was vested in the hands of people who were not in control of the resources; as a result there was discrimination against them.”

    The activist explained that the British discriminative policy was copied hook, line and sinker by those who found themselves in the corridors of power, adding that minority groups in due course became victims of the policy.

    He said: “Today the definition of democracy in Nigeria is not so spelt out. The majority came together, takes from the minority their God given rights. The people started losing all other rights that was created and given to them by God.

    “But, they should know that human being do not give rights, rights come from God. The rights to life, rights as a human being to live with dignity and all other rights proceed from God. In due course, the Igbo came to understand that they were also manipulated.

    “The discrimination against their class played out in the form of a gang up. But the interest in the resources created a situation at the political level where two, out of the three members of the tripod came together against the other member of the club.

    “And they soon found that they were members of that club only in vain. No country can survive such. That is why Nigeria is what it is today.”

    He said that when they wanted to pacify the minority whose rights were trampled upon, they simply appointed those will support their position.

    Agbeyegbe added: “In the attempt to compensate those whose rights have been taken away by government or do the minority a favour, they make sure that those who know what is good enough for their people are not given a chance.

    “They sponsor the least qualified, informed, and bring them to the centre and in most cases; these are people who will never in their life time understand such positions.

    “Their loyalties are not to their people, but to those at the centre, who gave them the opportunities that they will never have gotten in their life time, against those who would have been there to watch the rights of their people.

    “As we all know today, politicians from the minority interest group do not protect the interest of their people. In 200 years to come, if things remain the way they are, children yet conceived, who come from the ethnic minority of this country will grow up to be militants.”

    Former chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area Ayodele Adewale said the minority group must wake up from its slumber.

    He urged them to look beyond oil and prepared themselves by ensuring they acquire better education.

    Adewale explained that militancy was no longer in vogue, but negotiation and dialogue.

    He called on families to inculcate better upbringing in their ward, stressing that whatever obtained in the larger society starts from the family unit.

  • Diagnosing citizens’ rights in Nigeria

    SIR: On May 29, a journalist Joseph Hir was beaten, allegedly by supporters of the Nassarawa state governor for writing a “negative” report about the governor. A month later, Yomi Olomofe, executive director of Prime magazine, and McDominic Nkpemenyie, a correspondent with Tide newspaper, were severely beaten and injured by a group of people at Seme customs border post in Lagos. The group was allegedly upset by previous unfavourable reports of their activities by the journalists. Recently, it was reported in a Human Rights Watch publication that camp officials, police and soldiers in IDP camps, raped and sexually exploited about 43 women and girls living in seven Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    Records of Human Rights violations in Nigeria are still worrisome with increasing spate of extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests, unnecessary detention and torture, rape and assault of innocent citizens. Security operatives, other relevant authorities burdened with the responsibility to protect citizens’ rights, are culpable in violating the rights of many. There are countless cases of unreported Human Rights abuses, because victims are losing faith in the lack of determination by responsible government agencies, traditional and religious institutions, and individuals, who fail to protect victims. Women and children, are mostly affected and vulnerable to constant abuses even within their family.

    We stress the need for government to reaffirm its position of defending the rights of IDPs, persons with disabilities, women and children, indigenous peoples, minority group, press freedom and others at risk of discrimination or violence. Corruption and weak governance undermines the tenets of basic Human Rights for many Nigerians who live in abject poverty.

    Nigeria must be seen by key international actors as a country that is willing to address Human Rights abuses, as well as putting adequate and stringent measures in place to ensure that citizens’ rights are well protected.

    The decision by the Nigerian Army/government to establish human rights desk, including receiving documents, investigate complaints from individuals, organisations and institution on rights violation involving military personnel and the forwarding of report findings to the office of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on human rights complaints in the country, is a welcome development. But more commitment needs to be done to ensure that issues of human rights abuses in Nigeria are effectively and timely addressed to reduce the plights of citizens whose rights are being abused, ensure that common people have access to justice and their rights respected.

    • Charles Iyare,

    Africa Network for Environment & Economic Justice, (ANEEJ), Benin City.

  • CPC settles N2.5b consumer rights’ disputes

    CPC settles N2.5b consumer rights’ disputes

    The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) yesterday said it ordered the settlement of consumer rights issue valued at  about N2.5 billion this year.

    The reliefs’ were in form of refunds and compensation to aggrieved consumers in the course of resolving their complaints.

    CPC Director-General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, who spoke yesterday in Lagos during the public presentation of the agency’s 2016 Annual Report, said the N2.5 billion included foreign currencies of $31,948.87 and €1,406 recovered for aggrieved consumers that complained to the Council.

    She said the financial services sector recorded the highest value of the realised sum, while insurance and pensions had the least value.

    She said out of the 5,000 total number of complaints received in various sectors, 4,000 were resolved, while electricity/power and chemicals and allied products’ sector recorded the least number of complaints respectively.

    Mrs. Atoki said under enforcement, the total value of substandard products removed from circulation was over N242.3 million, with food and beverages taking the lion share of over N200 million and tobacco with the least value of about N300,000.

    She said a breakdown of the value of seized products showed that substandard products valued at over N202 million were seized from malls, super and open markets, shops and warehouses, while the value of electrical and electronic products seized during the period was N40 million.

    She attributed the  achievements made by the Council during her administration, particularly this year, to the adoption of sectoral intervention and other initiatives.

    In her words: “The sectoral intervention adopted in the strategic plan enabled such results and provided speed and spread to consumer redress. The acheivement recorded is a reflection of the work we have done to promote and protect the interest of Nigerian consumers,” adding that when she assumed office in May 2013, “consumer abuse in virtually all sectors was pervasive”.

    The CPC chief said due to the huge consumer abuse in virtually all sectors of the economy, “the Council in developing its 2013-2017 strategic plan, identified a tripod stand for a fast track delivery of its mandate via sectoral intervention, enhanced consumer awareness and collaborations with other sector  regulators.”

    She said the Annual Report  highlighted the most significant achievements and interventions of the Council, adding that the organisation deployed the sectoral intervention strategy in the satellite television service, food and beverage, with particular reference to the beer industry, banking, hospitality, aviation and electricity sectors.

    She explained that the intervention of the Council in satellite television service, focused on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, out of which consumers have been enjoying improved services, while its action in the hospitality sector focused on the VIP Express Tourism Limited with its order for the refund of over N25 million to over 60 of the company’s subscribers.

    Mrs. Atoki said the aim of the Council’s intervention in the telecommunication, food & beverage segment is to safeguard advert/promo/information that are deceptive, or misleading.”

    On consumer education, the CPC chief said more attention was given to grassroot sensitisation, in addition to the Council’s impactful weekly television and radio programmes, which generated a combined consumer awareness weekly outreach of 120 million consumers, in terms of viewership and listenership.

    On the online platform, Mrs. Atoki said the visibility of the Council has also grown considerably as evident in the increase the Council has noticed in its social media followership and website visits”.

  • 200 writers unite for children’s rights

    Two hundred writers united for children’s rights as the world marked United Nations Universal Children’s Day yesterday.

    According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), writers; including novelists, playwrights and poets, joined the global literary campaign last week, penning ‘Tiny Stories’ of around seven lines each to highlight the Children’s Day.

    The short story series launched last Monday, which kicked off UNICEF’s commemoration of its 70th year, underscored the injustice being faced by many of the world’s poorest and most disadvantaged children.

    Some of the world’s most celebrated writers, including Chimamanda Adichie, Paulo Coelho, Christina Lamb and Nuruddin Farah, shared short stories with their social media audiences.

    “It is shocking to see that the lives of many children are still so heavily impacted by the horror of conflict, inequality, poverty and discrimination. I hope these ‘Tiny Stories’ can remind the world that we must sustain our commitment to all of these children, whose lives and future are at stake,” UNICEF Spokesperson Paloma Escudero said.

  • Lawyers to Jonathan: your regime clamped down on rights

    Lawyers to Jonathan: your regime clamped down on rights

    The National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL) has debunked claims made by former President Goodluck Jonathan that his administration did not detain journalists or clamp down on people’s rights.

    In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its President, Mr. Luke Aghanenu, the group accused the former president of being economical with the truth and insisted that many journalists and Nigerians were detained during his regime.

    The group, which claimed to have defended many journalists and other victims of human rights abuse under Jonathan, noted that the statement credited to him “is deliberately designed to distort our recent history”.

    The group contended: “In case ex-President Jonathan has forgotten so quickly, we are compelled to remind him that many journalists and media houses were subjected to attacks in a desperate bid to silence the Nigerian people.

    “Specifically, editors of The Nation and Leadership newspapers were arrested for allegedly forging the signatures of former President Obasanjo and President Jonathan respectively.”

    It added that the charge of forgery filed against editors of Leadership newspaper was prosecuted by external firms of lawyers until it was withdrawn by the Attorney-General of the Federation and dismissed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court.

    The NADL recalled that some foreign governments and international human right bodies condemned the abuse of human rights in the country from 2010 to 2015, emphasizing, “it was because President Jonathan failed to stop the reckless violations of human rights of the people that the Barrack Obama administration decided to ban Nigeria from buying war planes and military hardware from United States,” the lawyers said.

    The group noted that several vehicles and thousands of copies of several newspapers belonging to media houses were seized by the Nigerian Army in many parts of the country in April 2014 on the ground that they had published stories which were considered embarrassing to the prosecution of the war on terror by the former President Jonathan’s administration.

    It said the compensation paid to the affected media houses for the illegal seizures of copies of their newspapers were later recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after it was discovered that the fund was part of the money criminally diverted from the arms procurement fund by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.).

    NADL added that under the pretext of prosecuting the terror war, the administration of the former president engaged in systemic violations of human rights of innocent people, including children in the Northeast.

    “The members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) organization, who were demanding for the release of the abducted Chibok girls were physically attacked by hired thugs at Abuja. And when the organisation defied the attacks, the Jonathan regime proceeded to ban all rallies and public meetings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The BBOG successfully challenged the ban on public protest at the FCT high court,” the group said.

    It noted that many radical staff and students of tertiary institutions were dismissed for expressing divergent opinions while  the Nigeria Governors Forum and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) were factionalised by his administration to pave way for their manipulation.

    It noted that during electioneering campaign for the governorship election in Ekiti State in 2014, three governors were prevented from participating in a political rally of their party in Ado-Ekiti, adding that while armed soldiers were used to manipulate the electoral process, many operative of the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) wore masks to hide their identities while terrorising voters.

    Conceding that the former president’s administration signed the Freedom of Information Bill into law, it said his administration refused to accede to requests for the supply of information made under the law.

    “For instance, when President Jonathan was requested to direct the Code of Conduct Bureau to make his asset declaration form available to the public, he refused and said he did not give any dam about asset declaration,” the group added.