Who is really in charge of regulating NGOs?

Recently, The Nigerian Army shut down the offices of a humanitarian aid group Action against Hunger (ACF) in the northeast, accusing it of “aiding and abetting terrorists.” A few days after, they shut down the Maiduguri office of another international humanitarian agency, Mercy Corps. The Companies and Allied Matters Act, and by extension the Corporate […]

Recently, The Nigerian Army shut down the offices of a humanitarian aid group Action against Hunger (ACF) in the northeast, accusing it of “aiding and abetting terrorists.” A few days after, they shut down the Maiduguri office of another international humanitarian agency, Mercy Corps.

The Companies and Allied Matters Act, and by extension the Corporate Affairs Commission established under it, play regulatory role over NGOs. Also, the criminal code (or penal code in the North) in cases of fraud, etc. oversees NGOs too and the National Planning Commission is also charged with overseeing the operations of NGOs in the country.

So it is expected that one of these bodies should be in charge of the sort of accusations being made by the military and closing down any NGO  found at fault. The fact that the military can just decide to close down any NGO without due process shows the deteriorating condition of the rule of law in the country. This is not the military era. There are laws and rules in place for situations like this and bodies to ensure the carriage of justice. So the Military should take a step back from handing these types of issues.

Ada Ikwueme, Suleja