Document Women, a women’s rights advocacy organisation, has accused Nigerian institutions of weaponising their powers against women through retaliation, humiliation and arbitrary sanctions.
In a statement on Wednesday, the group cited two recent incidents involving Ushie Rita Uguamaye, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, and Comfort Emmanson, a passenger on Ibom Air.
It alleged that the NYSC was withholding Uguamaye’s discharge certificate in retaliation for her criticism of the government.
“Freedom of expression is not a privilege, it is a constitutional right,” the statement read.
The group also condemned the decision of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to place Emmanson on an indefinite ‘No Fly’ list without due process after a viral incident on board.
“No woman should be subjected to trial by viral video, denied a fair hearing, or stripped of her dignity in the court of public opinion before the facts are independently and transparently established,” it added.
Document Women called on the NYSC to release Uguamaye’s discharge certificate and on AON to rescind the ban on Emmanson pending a transparent investigation.
It urged Nigerians to reject “double standards that allow powerful institutions to punish women disproportionately while similar acts by men go unchecked”.