Civil Rights Council’s Virtual Assembly Addresses Key Issues and Plans for the Future

The Civil Rights Council convened for their general assembly in a virtual square to deliberate on critical matters such as the ongoing crisis within the Delta State Civil Rights Council, upcoming elections for the Rivers State Civil Rights Council, the release of quarterly human rights reports, and the strategic planning for the remaining part of the year.

The National Coordinator, Barr Arochukwu Paul Ogbonna, initiated the discussions with an overview of the Council’s progress, achievements, challenges, and setbacks during the first two quarters of the year. Notably, several successful interventions, advocacy efforts, and litigations were carried out, with ongoing litigation cases spanning across quarters. The establishment of new units nationwide was noted, with ongoing efforts to bring more units on board. Emphasis was placed on the imperative of regular meetings, updated membership registers, meticulous record-keeping, and active participation in activities by CRC Units and State Executives.

Addressing the persistent dispute among Delta State Civil Rights Council’s state executives, it was resolved that State Coordinator Mr. Lucky Ebiri would convene a meeting to address disagreements and bring the State Executives to a consensus, with the National Coordinator invited to observe the proceedings.

Furthermore, it was decided that starting from the first quarter of 2024, the Civil Rights Council would publish quarterly reports on the state of human rights in Nigeria, derived from human rights observations and monitoring across various units and states, particularly in the Niger Delta Region. The National Coordinator was tasked with overseeing the publication, which would serve as a benchmark for human rights in Nigeria and an advocacy tool. In 2023, two publications were scheduled, covering the first three quarters in September and the last quarter by January 2024.

Finally, it was agreed that pending applications for unit creation should be expedited to expand the reach of the Civil Rights Council across Nigerian communities. Announcements were made about the Rivers State Chapter elections, postponed from August to September 2023. The issue of camps was deferred due to uncertainties, and all units and states were encouraged to continue their planned activities and submit reports promptly.