Nigeria Law

Constitution · Chapter IV

Fundamental Rights

Right to life, dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, private and family life, freedom of thought, expression, assembly, movement, freedom from discrimination — and the enforcement procedure.

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§33Life

Right to life

Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.

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§34Dignity

Right to dignity of the human person

Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly no person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment; no person shall be held in slavery or servitude; no person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

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§35Liberty

Right to personal liberty

Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law: in execution of a sentence, by reason of failure to comply with a court order, or upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence.

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§36Fair hearing

Right to fair hearing

In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.

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§37Privacy

Right to private and family life

The privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications is hereby guaranteed and protected.

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§38Thought

Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion

Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

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§39Expression

Right to freedom of expression and the press

Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

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§40Assembly

Right to peaceful assembly and association

Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests.

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§41Movement

Right to freedom of movement

Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereto or exit therefrom.

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§42Discrimination

Right to freedom from discrimination

A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person, be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of other such are not made subject.

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§43Property

Right to acquire and own immovable property

Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every citizen of Nigeria shall have the right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria.

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§44Compulsory acquisition

Compulsory acquisition of property

No moveable property or any interest in an immovable property shall be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by a law that requires the prompt payment of compensation therefor.

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§45Restrictions

Restriction on and derogation from fundamental rights

Nothing in sections 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 of this Constitution shall invalidate any law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedom of other persons.

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§46Enforcement

Special jurisdiction of High Court and Legal Aid

Any person who alleges that any of the provisions of this Chapter has been, is being or likely to be contravened in any State in relation to him may apply to a High Court in that State for redress.

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Source · CFRN 1999, as amended · /fundamental-rights

Methodology

Tier 1 · primary

Courts. Gazettes. National archives.

Tier 2 · corroborating

OCCRP. HRW. BudgIT. TheCable.

Redline

Wikipedia is never a source.