Ibadan: An organisation committed to disability rights, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), has appealed to government, security agencies, and others to address challenges facing Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria. The centre made the appeal during an advocacy visit and presentation of Project on Awareness about Civic Space Rights of PWDs to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, in Ibadan.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the CCD Senior Programme Officer, Ms Florence Attah, stated that ‘PWDs’ rights as guaranteed under Sections 39 and 40 of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) are facing persistent threats.’ Attah listed the rights to include freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of participation in shaping policies, freedom to demand accountability, and freedom to contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities among others. She highlighted that peaceful protests are often disrupted, civil society actors treated with suspicion, and laws meant to protect citizens sometimes misused to silence voices. Persons with disabilities, due to existing vulnerabilities, face even greater risks, including harassment, intimidation, violence, and barriers in accessing justice.
The CCD Senior Programme Officer emphasized that the NSCDC has a duty to protect the rights of all citizens, including persons with disabilities, and appealed to the corps to become true protectors of civic rights for all. Attah noted that PWDs were often less able to protect themselves during civic actions, leading to institutional neglect where their rights are not prioritized. She pointed out that communication barriers remain a significant concern, citing instances where a deaf person participating in a protest may face harassment from security personnel without access to a sign language interpreter, limiting their ability to communicate effectively.
According to her, the purpose of CCD’s advocacy visit to NSCDC Commandant in Oyo State was to create awareness on challenges facing PWDs and to ensure that their Civic Space Rights are protected. Attah appealed to NSCDC to publicly commit to protecting PWDs during civic actions and ensure accessible processes, including sign language interpretation, assistive devices, supportive technologies, and physical access. She further called on them to train their officers on civic rights and disability inclusion, create dedicated and safe reporting channels to address civic rights violations involving PWDs, and work with CCD to ensure effective implementation.
Also speaking, CCD Programme Officer, Mrs Christiana Njoku, emphasized that Civic Space Right was the foundation of inclusive governance. According to Njoku, PWDs will remain vulnerable and voiceless without their Civic Space Right being protected. In his response, the NSCDC Commandant, Augustine Padonu, acknowledged the need for security agencies to care for PWDs and pledged the corps’ commitment to the protection of Civic Space Rights of PWDs.