NHRC Expresses Concern Over Escalating Human Rights Violations

NHRC Expresses Concern Over Escalating Human Rights Violations

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the escalating incidence of human rights violations in Nigeria….CONTINUE READING

Mr. Hilary Ogbonna, Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, voiced his apprehensions during the inauguration of the inaugural edition of the human rights dashboard and observatory.

Ogbonna highlighted that the observatory’s purpose is to document daily human rights grievances lodged by Nigerians across the nation’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Nigeria grapples with myriad challenges in safeguarding and upholding the human rights of its populace.

“Insecurity, manifested in acts of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other activities perpetrated by non-state actors, has posed formidable obstacles to the enjoyment of human rights nationwide.

“Furthermore, economic, fiscal, and monetary reforms initiated by the new administration have exacerbated socio-economic disparities, contributing to Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against multi-dimensional poverty, consequently affecting the enjoyment of human rights,” he remarked.

Ogbonna elucidated that the dashboard serves as a monthly analysis and visual representation of the human rights situation in Nigeria. He elaborated that the Human Rights Observatory is tasked with monitoring, reporting, and analyzing human rights violations nationwide, as well as documenting, analyzing, and disseminating reports of human rights complaints.

Presenting the dashboard’s findings, Ogbonna expressed regret that the North-Central region reported the highest incidence of rights violations, with Abuja accounting for 382 out of 1147 complaints in January alone.

He divulged that these figures merely represent a fraction of the rights violations in the country, as a significant number of violations go unreported.

In the breakdown of complaints in January, domestic violence accounted for 528 cases, state actors 84, private sector actors 64, non-state actors 27, and violations of the right to life 40.

Ogbonna underscored that the North West recorded the highest number of domestic violence incidents, encompassing instances such as spousal abuse, rape, child abandonment, and assault.

He clarified that the dashboard encapsulates general human rights violations that are not reported but are captured and analyzed.

Furthermore, Ogbonna lamented the surge in kidnappings targeting children and young people, deeming them “soft targets.” He expressed concern over incidents on the plateau and assaults on traditional institutions, such as the attack in Ekiti State.

“Based on our analysis, January saw 150 reported kidnapping cases, including 55 fatalities, 15 incidents of hate speech, and the killing of seven law enforcement agents,” NHRC stated.

He highlighted that 10 children fell victim to torture, emphasizing the NHRC’s mandate to investigate human rights violations in the country.

“Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple challenges in safeguarding and ensuring the enjoyment of human rights, given the escalating insecurity, which includes terrorism, kidnapping, and banditry, among other factors.

“Multi-dimensional poverty and economic hardships are significantly impacting the enjoyment of human rights,” he stressed.

Ogbonna urged the public to report human rights violations to the commission at its offices located across the 36 states and the FCT.

He reiterated that the reports would be issued on a monthly basis.