The Right to Self-determination and Its Enforceability Under the Nigerian Municipal Law

The clamour for self-determination has become the order of the day in Nigeria as several groups who feel unsatisfied with the Nigerian State lay claim to it. It is due to these feelings that have instigated groups to involve in various actions to ensure that they can exercise this right in Nigeria. The right to self-determination is recognised by several international instruments and enforceable at international law on the fulfillment of certain conditions. The right to self-determination is not expressly provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) however Nigeria is a signatory to several international instruments that provide for the right to self-determination such as the African Charter on Human and People’s Right which have been domesticated as a law in Nigeria. The Charter having been ratified as law cannot grant the right to self-determination as the provision for the right to self-determination is not in the constitution and where there is a conflict between an Act of the National Assembly which is the African Charter on Human and Peoples right and the constitution the constitution shall prevail.