Nigeria, March 5 -- The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has opposed the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, arguing that Nigeria already has sufficient legal safeguards to protect fundamental rights.

He stated the ministry's position at a public hearing on Wednesday organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights in Abuja.

The hearing focused on two proposed legislations, the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill and a Bill seeking to repeal the National Human Rights Commission Act and the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act, 2010, to enact the National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2025.

The proposed amendment to the National Human Rights Commis...