AN OVERVIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS RAISED BY THE RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN NIGERIA
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
KWARA STATE UNIVERSITY, MALETE, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, AL-HIKMAH UNIVERSITY AND NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION, ILORIN BRANCH
Abstract
Abstract
response to the threat occasioned by the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, came up with regulations, restricting some human rights provisions already entrenched in the countries 1999 Constitution (as amended), such as, right to the dignity of the human person, in section 34, right to Personal liberty in section 35, right to freedom of association in section 40, right to freedom of movement in section 41 and right to private and family life, as found in section 37. The Paper employed the doctrinal research methodology in carrying out this research work. Even though the Constitution allows some restrictions and derogation from fundamental rights in Section 45 1)-(3) this paper identified discriminatory application of the restrictive measures introduced at various levels to curb the spread of Covid-19. The paper also examine the Infectious Disease Control Act, 2021 and discovered that some of its provisions are too harsh and not in line with international best practices. The paper therefore concludes and recommends among others that while one agrees that the signing of the COVID-19 Regulation 2020, is in exercise of the powers conferred on the President, by Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act careful attention must be placed on human rights principles such as non-discrimination, transparency and respect for human dignity.
Description
Keywords
Citation
CURRENT ISSUES IN LAW, JUSTICE AND SOCIETY: ESSAYS IN HONOUR OF HON. JUSTICE SULYMAN D. KAWU - CHIEF JUDGE OF KWARA STATE