Washington, DC — The United States State Department has released yet another damning report on Nigeria's human rights record in 2008, describing it as "poor."

In its often controversial annual report on human rights around the world, the State Department says Nigeria's human right has not seen any significant improvement as reflected in the number of hostage taking in the Niger Delta, serious abuses at all levels by government officials and excessive use of force by the Nigeria Police Force.

An estimated 400 nationals (foreign and local) were abducted in 100 cases in the Niger Delta last year, notes the report. Some kidnappings were carried out by militant groups agitating for more control of oil revenues, while others were conducted for financial gain, it says.

Criminal gangs continue to terrorise areas such as Port Harcourt, Rivers State, it notes. The gangs were widely believed to have been sponsored initially by politicians to intimidate opponents and aid election rigging, but have since engaged in crimes unrelated to political objectives, observes the report.

The most significant cases of abuse, according to the State Department are: "abridgement of citizens' right to change their government; extrajudicial killings by security forces; the use of lethal and excessive force by security forces; vigilante killings; impunity for abuses by security forces; torture, rape, and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners, detainees, and criminal suspects."

Other areas include " harsh and life-threatening prison and detention centre conditions; arbitrary arrest and prolonged pre-trial detention; executive influence on the judiciary and judicial corruption; infringement on privacy rights; restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and movement."

There are also cases of "domestic violence and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation (FGM); child abuse and child sexual exploitation; societal violence; ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination; trafficking in persons for the purpose of prostitution and forced labour; and child labour," says the report.

It also claims that credible reports indicate that the police used excessive force to quell violence during the ethno-religious conflict in Jos North Local Government area of Plateau State in November, 2008.

Police officers were not held accountable for any wrongdoing, it says. It concludes that the Police operate with impunity.

It mentioned incidents relating to police brutality in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Abia, Delta, Anambra, Ondo, Kaduna and Oyo States.

There were no new developments regarding the unresolved murder cases including that of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Chief Bola Ige, Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Funsho Williams, Plateau State gubernatorial aspirant Jesse Aruku of the Advanced Congress of Democrats Party, Ekiti State PDP gubernatorial candidate Ayodeji Daramola and former Council Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area and PDP aspirant for the state House of Assembly of Benue State, Timothy Ageba Uttah, the report observes.

This is in spite of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's directive to the Inspector-General of Police to reopen all cases, it adds.

According to the report, armed robbers continue to terrorise citizens, adding that the menace of social miscreants popularly known as "area boys" in Lagos State is also an eyesore.

Several Shari'a cases from previous years pending appeal or implementation of sentence, including pending amputation and stoning sentences in Jigawa, Bauchi, Niger, Kano, and Zamfara States, it notes.

Other areas of poor human rights records include prison and detention conditions which remain life threatening, it says. Disease is pervasive in the cramped, poorly ventilated facilities, and chronic shortages of medical supplies.

The arrest of journalists was adequately covered in the report. It mentioned the arrest of Sam Nda Isaiah, Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Daily Editor Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, Weekend Editor Laura Olugbemi, and former Associate Editor Simon Imoboswam for alleged "defamation of character and injurious falsehood," over the story.

Also, the arrest of Jonathan Elendu, owner of the Elendu Report, an on-line publication was noted.