Case Study
Nigeria: War Within Borders |
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The Limitation of Traditionally Unlimited Power
The fact that Nigerian soldiers executed civilians can hardly be considered surprising. The military has controlled power in Nigeria for much of the nation’s history. This string of military dictatorships exhibited little if any regard for the rights of the individual or the value of human life. Even though the military no longer rules Nigeria, its influence continues to be felt. Decades of military rule provided no precedent for the recognition of civil liberties or human rights in Nigeria.
In the United States a Bill of Rights imposes limits on the government and they way it treats its citizens. Do you think a Nigerian Bill of Rights would have prevented the massacre in Benue?
Can a Bill of Rights work in a nation like Nigeria that has been dominated by a string of military governments? What would be required to make the concept of civil liberties a reality in Nigeria?
Can you imagine any circumstances in which it would be permissible for the military to fire upon members of the public? How do you respond to the argument that the military was reacting to civilian killings of nineteen soldiers?
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