NHRC Decries Increasing Waves Of Human Rights Violations Nationwide

…Says January 2024 Recorded Over 1147 Complaints

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has disclosed that a total of 1147 complaints on various forms of human rights violations nationwide were received by it in the month of January 2024.

The commission maintained that the number of incidents of human rights violations could be higher than the number of reported cases received in its offices in the 36 states of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja as there are many cases where the victims shied away from reporting.

The NHRC disclosed this at the formal presentation of the Monthly Dashboard on human rights of the Commission for January, 2024.

The Coordinator, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, who doubles as Senior Human Rights Adviser observed while making the presentation that: Nigeria faces multiples challenges in the protection and enjoyment of human rights for the citizens, adding that insecurity expressed in terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other activities of non-state actors have posed challenges to
the enjoyment of human rights across Nigeria.

He noted that economic, fiscal and monetary reforms introduced by the new administration have increased socio-economic inequalities just as Nigeria continue to battle with multi-dimensional poverty impacting on the enjoyment of human rights.

Giving breakdown of the categories of the human rights complaints received by the commission within the period under review, Mr. Ogbonna enumerated that statistics showed that complaints against State Actors – 84, Domestic Violence – 528, against Non-State Actors – 27, against Private Sector Actors -48, ESCR – 64
and Right to life – 40.

Further, he disclosed that domestic violence dominated the month of January, 2024 accounting for 118 complaints received by the Commission from the North West.

The Senior Human Rights Adviser also explained that complaints about Domestic Violence include: Wife battery, Rape, child
abandonment and assault while that of State Actors include complaints against
Police, Military, NSCDC, FRSC and Customs

Further, he said that in the case of complaints on Economic and Social Rights (ESCR), the complaints are on Labor rights, Education and Health issues while the Non-State Actors include complaints against Boko Haram/ISWAP, Bandits, ESN, Militias, and Private Security.

On the general human rights situation in Nigeria, Mr. Ogbonna said: “Incidence of kidnappings have increased across the country; Children and young persons have
become targets; the situation in Plateau State presents multi-dimensional
threats on human rights and Attacks on Traditional Institutions in Ekiti State, Plateau and other parts of Nigeria”.