**FG Expresses Concerns Over Proposed Human Rights Defenders Bill** The Federal Government has voiced its opposition to a proposed bill aimed at safeguarding human rights defenders in Nigeria. According to the Ministry of Justice, the bill is unnecessary as existing laws already provide adequate protection for human rights advocates. The Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill seeks to promote accountability, transparency, and social justice, protecting individuals who peacefully advocate for their constitutional rights. However, the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has argued that the proposed law would lead to institutional overlap and legislative confusion. He believes that empowering existing institutions, such as the National Human Rights Commission, would be more effective in enhancing implementation capacity. Nigeria has a history of human rights abuses, and the proposed bill aims to address these issues by protecting civil society actors, journalists, lawyers, community leaders, whistleblowers, faith-based actors, and citizens who advocate for human rights. However, the Ministry of Justice is concerned that the bill would create duplication of functions among government agencies. The Minister has requested that the lawmakers jettison the proposed legislation and instead focus on amending existing laws to strengthen the National Human Rights Commission. This would enable the commission to conduct investigations and contribute to the Human Rights Fund, as recommended by the Paris Principles. Some of the concerns raised by the Ministry of Justice include a clause that makes it compulsory for business owners to obtain an annual human rights compliance certificate, which could hinder efforts to ease doing business in Nigeria. Another concern is a provision that allows the commission to borrow funds to pursue human rights cases, which could be subject to abuse if not properly regulated. In conclusion, the Federal Government's opposition to the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill highlights the need for a more nuanced approach to human rights protection in Nigeria. Rather than creating a new law, the government could focus on strengthening existing institutions and amending existing laws to enhance implementation capacity. This would ensure that human rights defenders are adequately protected without creating unnecessary duplication of functions among government agencies.