A human right activist Maxwell Opara has identified ignorance, poverty and delay in the administration of justice as some challenges working against the enforcement of human rights in Nigeria.
Opara was speaking in Abuja at the launch of his book: Understanding the procedural application of fundamental rights.
Maxwell Opara who is a lawyer and rights activist called on the media, civil society organizations and security agencies to collaborate and put issues on human rights in the public space
He said such collaboration will put all stakeholders on their toes and help in protecting the rights of Nigerians.
The chief launcher of the book, Dr Charles Ugomuoh, a retired assistant inspector General of police recommended the effective implementation of community policing as one method of protecting the rights of Nigerians. He, however, said that for community policing to achieve protection of the rights of Nigerians, the curriculum for police training must be reviewed to accommodate respect for the citizen.
Chairman of the book presentation Professor Godwin Owoh, while commending the author observed that power is like a revolving door and must show anybody in the power room, the exit someday.
He called on those in authority to respect the rights of others and queried the criteria for conferring the privilege of Senior Advocates of Nigeria on lawyers some of who have not contributed to expanding the bounds jurisprudence or humanizing law in Nigeria.
The reviewer of the book Paul Daudu, a lawyer, described the book as needed literature as Nigeria faces human rights crossroads.
The one hundred and ninety four-page book, presented to the public on Wednesday attracted notable personalities including former permanent secretary of the Federal Capital Territory, chief Johnny Chukwu, notable lawyers, the human rights community and the media.