(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The Department of Trade and Industry is using United Kingdom taxpayersâ money to underwrite a trade mission by British companies to Nigeria this September, while Members of Parliament (MPs) across the political spectrum have recommended that such missions be suspended. ARTICLE 19 has queried the speed with which the UK government is […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The Department of Trade and Industry is using United
Kingdom taxpayersâ money to underwrite a trade mission by British companies
to Nigeria this September, while Members of Parliament (MPs) across the
political spectrum have recommended that such missions be suspended. ARTICLE
19 has queried the speed with which the UK government is embracing the
latest Nigerian military regime, pointing to the lack of progress towards
democracy.
Frances DâSouza, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 said:
“New Nigerian ruler General Abdulsalam Abubukarâs statement that all
political prisoners have been released is patently untrue, and no concrete
moves towards structural political change have been taken. What the regime
has done, however, is to substantially improve the climate for international
business, which seems to have bought them extra time, while human rights
considerations are yet again shunted into second place.”
ARTICLE 19 believes that it is crucial to maintain pressure on and distance
from the Nigerian military government until democracy is re-established. But
it appears that the British government is actively promoting new investment
by financially and politically supporting a trade mission from the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
Examples of people still imprisoned in Nigeria for political reasons
include: Niran Malaolu, a journalist sentenced on trumped-up treason charges
earlier this year. The life sentence handed down by a secret military
tribunal was commuted to fifteen years by Abubukar.
Fifteen Ogoni activists who have been granted bail by the courts and another
five whose bail hearings have been postponed four times. Apparently, the
authorities will not release them without a go-ahead from the government,
another abuse of the rule of law.
Each representative of a British-based company on Septemberâs three-day
mission to Nigeria will receive £400 from the UK Department of Trade and
Industry. Meanwhile, 49 British MPs have signed Early Day Motion 1434, which
calls for the suspension of such missions to Nigeria.
ARTICLE 19 is also seriously disturbed by the Nigerian regimeâs lack of
progress in the following areas:
rescinded
electoral commission