The State of Civil and Political Rights under Constitutional Rule in Nigeria, 1999-2015

Abstract

Civil and political rights relate to the sanctity of the individual and his/her right within socio-political milieu in which he/she is
 ocated. As such, primacy is often accorded civil and political rights which form the basis of the fundamental human rights as envisaged in Chapter IV of Nigeria's 1999 Constitution (as amended).The return to democracy on May 29, 1999 was with the confidence and hope that Nigeria would better its human rights record. But to the dismay of its citizens, civil and political rights have continved to be violated under the successive democratic civilian regimes. These violations have impacted negatively on the socio-economic and political life of the country. As such, Nigeria's democratic process have been at a snail's pace. This work examines the state of civil and political rights in Nigeria under demacratic rule from 1999-2015.The work relies on qualitative content analysis. It is recommended that the Nigerian government should make efforts to promote and protect civil and political rights of its citizens Thevarious courts of law and human rights institutions in the country shauld also be empowered and adequately funded to be able to carry out their constitutional mandates.