UK Parliament debates sanctions for Nigeria over EndSARS

British Parliament is to debate on the calls to impose sanctions on Nigeria over the handling of the #EndSARS protests.

A former senior minister and Member of Parliament from the ruling Conservative Party, Theresa Villiers, will lead the one-and-a-half-hour debate at the Westminster Hall in London.

A statement on the Parliament website says the debate is scheduled to begin at 6pm GMT (7pm Nigerian time) and end at 7:30pm GMT (8:30 Nigerian time).

It will be streamed live on the UK Parliament YouTube channel.

The move followed a petition created by one Siles Ojo which has, by Monday afternoon, generated 220,339 signatures.

The Parliament entertains any petition signed 100,000 people.

The petition calls on the UK government to impose sanctions against Nigerian government officials and police officers.

“There have been deeply concerning reports of a Nigerian police force unit (SARS) engaging in illegal activities and human rights abuses, and there have also been reports of police firing at protestors calling for SARS to be disbanded,” it says.

“The Government should explore using the new sanctions regime that allows individuals and entities that violate human rights around the world to be targeted, to impose sanctions on members of the Nigerian government and police force involved in any human rights abuses by the Nigerian police.

“Deploying sanctions would provide accountability for and be a deterrent to anyone involved in violations of human rights.” (Daily Trust)