As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA) has challenged the government and citizens to make justice, human rights, accountability and the rule of law the defining features of the country’s freedom.
SOJA, in an Independence Day statement signed by its Founder and Executive Director, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, said Nigeria’s independence should not be measured only by the number of years since the country gained freedom from colonial rule, but by the extent to which citizens enjoy dignity, liberty, security, equality and access to justice.
Nigeria became independent on October 1, 1960, and the Federal Government declared October 1, 2026, a public holiday to commemorate the 66th anniversary.
The advocacy organisation said the meaning of independence must go beyond political sovereignty to include freedom from injustice, corruption, impunity, unlawful discrimination, oppression, insecurity and violations of fundamental human rights.
It said: “True independence must also mean freedom from injustice, corruption, impunity, unlawful discrimination, oppression, insecurity and the denial of fundamental human rights.”
SOJA maintained that the strength of Nigeria’s democracy and governance depended on the supremacy of the law and the existence of institutions capable of applying the law fairly and impartially.
According to the organisation, no citizen should be above the law, just as no citizen should be denied the protection of the law, stressing that government institutions, security agencies, public officials, corporations and private individuals must all remain subject to the Constitution and other applicable laws.
It warned that where impunity becomes normalised, public confidence in government and its institutions would inevitably suffer.
The organisation also called for stronger protection of fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and international human-rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
It specifically identified the rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association as rights requiring meaningful protection rather than remaining merely constitutional provisions.
SOJA urged the authorities to strengthen mechanisms for protecting vulnerable Nigerians, preventing unlawful detention and torture, combating violence and ensuring that victims of human-rights violations have access to justice.
The group also linked the fight against corruption directly to the protection of citizens’ rights, arguing that corruption deprives Nigerians of resources needed for education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, justice and other essential services.
It, however, cautioned that anti-corruption campaigns must themselves be conducted within the boundaries of due process and fair hearing.
“Accountability must never be selective, and the fight against corruption must never become a substitute for justice,” SOJA said.
On national security, the organisation acknowledged the responsibility of security and law-enforcement agencies to protect lives and property, but insisted that security operations must remain within the law.
It said the fight against terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, cybercrime, communal violence, trafficking, illegal mining and other crimes should not become a justification for abandoning constitutional safeguards or the dignity of people in custody.
“Security and human rights are not enemies. A lawful State must protect both,” it said.
The organisation also placed responsibility for nation-building on citizens, urging Nigerians to reject corruption, speak against injustice, respect the rights of others, obey lawful authority, demand accountability and participate constructively in the democratic process.
SOJA said Nigerians should work towards a country where speaking against injustice is not regarded as disloyalty, peaceful advocacy is respected, public institutions are accountable to the law and victims can seek justice without fear or favour.
Its call comes as the Federal Government uses the 66th anniversary to highlight reforms and its stated efforts to move the country towards stability, growth and shared prosperity. President Bola Tinubu, in his Independence Day address, said Nigeria had endured war, military rule, economic crises, insecurity and political upheaval since independence, while reiterating his administration’s focus on reforms, jobs, production and prosperity.
SOJA, however, said the anniversary should also provide an opportunity for Nigerians to reflect honestly on the country’s achievements and continuing challenges.
Jimoh said SOJA remained committed to promoting human rights, justice, accountability, anti-corruption, the rule of law, democratic values and respect for human dignity.
The organisation urged Nigerians to make the country’s independence increasingly meaningful to ordinary citizens by ensuring that freedom is protected by law, justice is accessible to all, public power is exercised responsibly and every person’s dignity is respected.
