History of Human Rights Violations in Nigeria, 1970-1999

The established features of democracy with its provision of the constitution that regulates the behaviors of both the ruling government and citizens, as enshrined in the constitution had positioned the ultimate principle that political power belong to the entire people and not restricted to the few representatives of the government. The doctrine of separation of power and check and balances, as propounded by Montesquieu, cardinal principle of democracy, which ensures the distinctiveness and independence of the three arms of government at various levels.

The issues of the violation of human rights has assumed center stage of the various regional grouping and have vigorously been mandated by international agreements and treaties, to always obey the fundamental principles of human rights. It's equally good to state that the fundamental principle of human rights and its violation are majorly characterized during the military era and dictatorship regimes, because the military regime is an aberration and not a form of governments, the military then protect the unconstitutional and inhuman acts, and in the bid to do this, the fundamental human rights of the citizens are trampled upon.

Over the years various measures have been adopted by international institutions and organizations to reduce the trends of the violation on the fundamental human rights at various countries, most cases sanctions have been imposed which on its own, is another way of violating the rights of ordinary man. even though we say that the violation of the human rights is an attributes to military regime, it is equally important to note that democracy till date are found to be violating human rights especially during the democratic dispensation of 1999 to present.