AN APPRAISAL OF THE ENFORCEMENT AND JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS PROVISIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This article critically examines the enforcement architecture and judicial interpretation of human rights provisions under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It interrogates the normative promise of Chapter IV against the practical realities of access to justice, institutional capacity, and compliance. While the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009 were designed to liberalise standing and deepen rights protection, enforcement remains constrained by procedural technicalities, evidentiary burdens, and uneven judicial attitudes. The analysis evaluates key decisions of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to assess trends in interpretive approaches, including constitutional supremacy, locus standi, and the interface between domestic and international human rights norms. It argues that despite moments of progressive jurisprudence, structural and doctrinal limitations continue to dilute transformative potential. The article concludes by proposing doctrinal recalibration, institutional strengthening, and strategic litigation pathways to enhance the effectiveness of human rights adjudication in Nigeria.