Ukraine war: Nigeria in abstention during voting to suspend Russia from human rights council, as warring countries exchange prisoners

Ukraine carried out a prisoner exchange with Russia, Saturday, the third such swap since the start of the war, and 12 soldiers are coming home, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in an online post.

Vereshchuk also said that as part of the deal, 14 civilians were returning to Ukraine. She did not say how many Russians had been released.

This is also as reports have emerged which indicate that Nigeria was among the 58 countries which abstained from voting in the process of suspending Russia from the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

While 93 countries voted in favour, 58 abstained during the voting, as 24 voted against the process, Thursday.

Neither the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nor the minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, has yet to explain the decision by the country to abstain from the voting process of suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council over its invasion of Ukraine.

Nigeria had previously voted at the United Nations General Assembly in March to condemn the invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops which began on February 24.

In the 193-member United Nations General Assembly, 93 nations voted in favour of the resolution to remove Russia from the human rights council, in response to Moscow’s invasion and alleged rights abuses in Ukraine.

Russia is only the second nation after Libya whose membership has been suspended.

Countries which voted against the decision are: Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Nicaragua, Iran, Kazakhstan, Gabon, Central African Republic (CAR), China, North Korea, Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Burundi, Bolivia, Belarus, Algeria.

While some of the 58 nations which abstained from voting included; Nigeria, South Africa, Angola, Cape  Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Egypt, El-Salvador, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, as well as India, and others.

Incidentally, much of Africa abstained from voting to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, as out of the 58 countries in abstention, 21 are from the continent.

In the same way as out of the 24 nations voting against the process, 8 are in Africa, including; Zimbabwe, Gabon, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Burundi, Bolivia, and Algeria.

It would be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly voted, Thursday, to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council after high-profile allegations of atrocities committed by Russian soldiers during the war in Ukraine.

A draft of the resolution says the General Assembly may “suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights.”

The draft resolution adds that the council has “grave concern” regarding reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” and “violations of international humanitarian law” committed by the Russian Federation during its invasion of Ukraine.

The General Assembly needed to vote in favor by two-thirds of the countries present and voting to remove Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. The measure suspends Russia’s membership in the Council and would launch a review of the matter if the UN deems it appropriate.

In response, the deputy Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Gennady Kuzmin, called on member states to reject the resolution, saying it would set a “a dangerous precedent.”

The Russian representative said the vote on suspending Russia from the Human Rights Council “is an attempt by the United States to maintain its dominant position and total control to continue its attempt at human rights colonialism in international relations.”

UN director at Human Rights Watch, Louis Charbonneau, said in a statement that Russia’s suspension sends “a crystal-clear message” that they have “no business” on the council.

“Gruesome images from Bucha (in Ukraine) have shocked people around the world. Victims and their families deserve to see those responsible held to account. Investigators from the UN and International Criminal Court should set the wheels of justice in motion by moving swiftly to gather and preserve evidence of war crimes.”