RULE OF LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Rule  of  law,  human  rights  and  national  security  are  concepts  generally  obtainable  in  a  country  practicing constitutional  democracy.  Rule  of  law  entails  governance  in  accordance  with  legal  principles  and  observance  of laws  which  are  reasonably  justifiable  in  a  democratic  society.  Hence,  rule  of  law  is  rule  of  right  and  not  rule  by might nor rule by force, arbitrariness, despotism, dictatorship, tyranny and ultimately anarchy. Protection of human rights is likewise an offshoot of rule of law and citizens’ rights is meant to be protected in a nation practicing rule of law. However, because the government is saddled with the duty upholding national security, should rule of law and human rights be  curtailed for the  purpose  of ensuring national security and defence? The  primary  objective of the research therefore is the examine whether human rights should prevail at the expense of national security or human rights can be restricted in the interest of national security. The research is a doctrinal research that relied on both primary  and  secondary  sources  of  law.  The  research  finds  out  that  Nigeria  has  been  battling  with  insecurity  and insurgencies  over  the  years,  and  the  government  necessarily  needs  to  take  proactive  steps  to  arrest  the  situation, even if human rights would be  restricted. The  research therefore  concludes that it is absolutely  not out of place to suspend  individual  rights  and  civil  liberties  of  citizens  to  ensure  national  security  and  defence.  This  does  not however mean rule of law should be suspendedto ensure national security because in an atmosphere where rule of law is not sustained, anarchy and lawlessness will prevail.