The International Human Rights Commission – Relief Funds Trust (IHRC-RFT), Nigeria Chapter, has issued a stark warning about a growing trend that it says threatens the foundation of justice in Nigeria: the systematic abuse of court orders to obstruct investigations and provide cover for alleged human rights violators.
In a statement released by the Country Director, Ambassador Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, the organization expressed deep concern over what it described as a “devious” pattern in which individuals accused of serious abuses quickly obtain restraining court orders. These orders, the group claims, are being used to halt arrests or prevent lawful investigations by security agencies.
“This trend impairs the operational latitude of security agencies and increasingly undermines public confidence in the Nigerian judicial system,” the statement read.
The IHRC-RFT noted that even officials within the judiciary and law enforcement sectors have voiced unease over the growing misuse of these legal instruments, which are meant to protect rights but are now allegedly being twisted to promote impunity.
While the Commission reiterated its respect for the role of the judiciary and the place of court orders in a democratic society, it emphasized that such tools must not be “instruments of oppression and impunity.”
“We are not calling for the abolition of court orders,” the statement clarified. “Rather, we are calling for reasonable safeguards to ensure that such orders are issued in accordance with principles of fairness, justice, and transparency—so they do not infringe upon the rights of victims or obstruct legitimate law enforcement.”
Citing Nigeria’s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), IHRC-RFT invoked Article 7, which guarantees equal protection before the law, and Article 8, which affirms the right of individuals to seek remedy through national tribunals when their rights are violated.
According to Hobnob News, the Commission has now called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of the National and State Assemblies, governors, and all relevant authorities to launch immediate investigations into the matter and introduce meaningful reform.
IHRC-RFT concluded by urging legal practitioners and judicial officers to ensure court orders are not manipulated to shield those who should be held accountable. Instead, the Commission said, these legal protections should serve their intended purpose: to uphold the principles of natural justice and defend the rights and dignity of every Nigerian.
