By George Ozalla
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has disclosed that it received a total of 365,224 complaints of human rights violations in August, with a significant rise in sexual and gender-based violence, killings, and abductions, particularly in the North-West region. This was revealwd at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja yesterday during the presentation of the August dashboard report.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu SAN, stated that the figures represent the pulse of a people yearning for fairness, justice, and respect. The highest complaints were received from the North-central region, with 152,870, followed by the North-west with 70,002, the North-East with 68,598, the South-East with 45,849, the South-South with 14,041, and the South-West with 13,864.
The NHRC reported that 306 persons were killed and 450 kidnapped in August. The top five states with the highest number of killings were Katsina State with 64, Benue State with 41, Plateau State with 39, Zamfara State with 25, and Sokoto State with 17. The perpetrators of the killings were identified as Boko Haram, bandits, lakurawa, cultists, unknown gunmen, and others.
The Commission also recorded a number of complaints related to women’s and children’s rights violations, including denial of access to children (2,430), gender-based discrimination (1,428), abandonment (1,389), trafficking (983), domestic violence (2,981), sexual violence (322), and rape (17). Additionally, 500 complaints of child trafficking, 439 of child marriage, 375 of denial of rights to education, and 373 of sexual abuse were recorded.
The event, attended by members of civil society organisations, media, and other stakeholders, provided a platform for discussion and analysis of the report. Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hilary Ogbonna, emphasized the need to address the crisis in the region, particularly in Zamfara and Katsina states, where banditry and mass killings have been rampant. Ogbonna also appealed to the government to protect the right to freedom of religion, citing the high number of killings that occurred in places of worship.
The NHRC’s investigations and other activities in August included completing 2,603 investigations, visiting 85 correctional centers and places of detention, sending letters of summons to the police 53 times, and visiting 7 military formations.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is an independent body established to promote and protect human rights in Nigeria. The Commission is mandated to investigate complaints of human rights violations, monitor human rights conditions, and provide recommendations to the government. The NHRC also works to promote awareness and education on human rights issues and provides support to victims of human rights abuses. With its headquarters in Abuja, the Commission plays a critical role in advancing human rights in Nigeria and ensuring that the government is held accountable for its obligations under international human rights law.
