NHRC Demands Arrest of Kuje Chairman

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Kuje Area Council Chairman, Danjuma Shekwolo, after a viral video showed him allegedly telling residents they must support the All Progressives Congress (APC) or leave the council.

• Shekwolo has denied threatening to expel or disenfranchise residents, saying the remarks were made at a meeting with APC youths and loyalists and were taken out of context.

• The NHRC says the reported remarks potentially violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of association, movement, residence and protection against political discrimination, as well as provisions of electoral and criminal laws.

• The Commission has asked the police, Department of State Services (DSS) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate the matter and protect Kuje residents against intimidation, profiling and disenfranchisement ahead of the 2027 elections.

August 27, () — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, Danjuma Shekwolo, over a viral video in which he appeared to make continued residency in the council conditional on support for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the footage that triggered public outrage, Shekwolo is heard saying: “I have said in my area council, it’s either you are doing APC or leave the area council. I am not arguing with you.”

The statement has drawn a strong response from the NHRC, which said no elected public official has the power to compel citizens to support a political party or threaten their right to live in a community because of their political affiliation.

But in a subsequent clarification on Wednesday, Shekwolo denied threatening to expel residents or deprive them of their rights, insisting that the controversial remarks had been stripped of the context in which they were made.

The chairman said the remarks were made during a meeting with APC youths and loyalists, where issues concerning administrative efficiency, local development and community welfare were discussed.

“The remarks in question were made in a specific context aimed at addressing administrative efficiency, local development, and community welfare. You may recall that the event that led to the unfortunate incident was a meeting with the APC party youths and loyalists,” he said.

Shekwolo further acknowledged the constitutional limits of his office, saying he had no authority to disenfranchise any resident or citizen.

“And as the Executive Chairman of Kuje Area Council, I have no right to disenfranchise any residents or citizens of their fundamental human rights in the council,” he said.

He also rejected any suggestion that his administration intended to discriminate against residents on political grounds, saying his government remained committed to inclusion and fairness.

“At no point did I intend to cause disaffection, undermine any group, or promote policies that do not serve the best interest of our citizens,” the chairman said.

Shekwolo urged Kuje residents and other stakeholders to work with his administration despite differences in political, religious, or ethnic affiliations.

“I urge the people of Kuje Area Council and the general public, regardless of their political affiliation, religious, or ethnic difference, to join hands with the administration to make Kuje the area council of our dreams,” he said.

He also appealed to journalists to verify the circumstances surrounding statements before publishing them, describing the media and government as “partners in progress.”

NHRC Cites Constitution, Electoral Laws

The NHRC, however, maintained that the words contained in the viral recording were sufficiently serious to warrant law enforcement action.

The Commission’s Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, described the statement attributed to Shekwolo as an act of intimidation and a direct assault on constitutional democracy.

Ojukwu said Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freely associate and belong to a political party of their choice, while Section 41 protects freedom of movement and residence.

He also cited Section 42, which prohibits discrimination based on political opinion.

According to him, no public officeholder, whether a council chairman, governor or president, has the power to banish citizens from their community because they support a political party other than the one favoured by the officeholder.

He described any such pronouncement as “unconstitutional, null and void.”

The Commission was particularly concerned by the apparent suggestion that government infrastructure and development benefits could be linked to political loyalty.

Ojukwu stressed that public resources and government projects cannot lawfully be deployed as leverage to compel citizens to support a political party.

He warned that inflammatory “us versus them” rhetoric from public officials could create an atmosphere of hostility, expose political opponents to harassment and heighten the risk of violence as the 2027 elections approach.

The NHRC said the alleged statement could also have implications under Sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022, which prohibit threats and intimidation intended to influence voters.

It further cited Section 416 of the Penal Code, relating to inciting a breach of public peace, and Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 concerning the transmission of statements capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.

The Commission consequently called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately arrest and prosecute Shekwolo. It also urged the DSS, police and INEC to investigate the incident and institute measures to protect Kuje residents from harassment, political profiling or disenfranchisement ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The NHRC further called on the APC leadership and the FCT Administration to publicly disassociate themselves from the chairman’s remarks and make clear that APC membership or support cannot be a condition for residency or access to public services.

Ojukwu assured Kuje residents that their constitutional rights remained protected, stressing that nobody was required to join the APC to live in the area council or obtain government services.

He urged residents facing threats or intimidation to contact the Commission through its toll-free line, 6472, or visit the nearest NHRC office within the FCT.