The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it recorded a total of 55, 218 in its monthly dashboard report representing the month of May.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Anthony Ojukwu, SAN revealed this in his speech at the monthly presentation of their dashboard report.
He said, the dashboard stands as a testament to their commitment to transparency, accountability, and the protection of human rights in Nigeria.
The dashboard is a monthly analysis and graphical presentation of human rights situation in Nigeria while the Observatory is for monitoring, reporting and analysing the human rights violations.
On February 14, the Commission inaugurated the maiden edition of human rights dashboard and observatory and presented the report.
In January, a total of 1,147 complaints was recorded against 1,484 recorded in February, March recorded a total of 1580 complaints , April recorded 19,470 while May recorded 55, 218
” Over the past months, our teams in Abuja and across the 36 states have worked tirelessly to compile and analyse data from complaints received at the Commission and unreported human rights violations monitored across the country.
” These analyses not only shed light on the state of human rights in our nation, but also serves as a record of our progress and a guide for future action.
” This month’s edition features 55,218 complaints received by the Commission with violations against state actors topping the chart.
” The violations recorded in the month of May impacted on an estimated 157,368 persons across the country based on our Victim Impact Analysis.
“This is a distressing indication that despite our efforts, there are still instances where those entrusted with upholding the law become violators of human rights.
” We must emphasize the importance of accountability and the reasonable use of force by law enforcement agencies.
“While it is essential to maintain law and order, it must be done in a manner that respects the dignity and rights of every individual. Any abuse of power or excessive force must be met with swift and impartial justice.
” Furthermore, we have observed a troubling increase in violations of economic, social, and cultural rights.
” These rights are the bedrock of human dignity and well-being, yet they continue to be disregarded in many parts of our country.
” As we analyze the data presented in this dashboard, let us not lose sight of the real people behind these statistics—individuals and families who are struggling to access basic necessities such as food, shelter, and healthcare.
” It is incumbent upon the government to take concrete steps to address these violations and ensure that all citizens can enjoy their economic, social, and cultural rights without discrimination or impediment.
” This includes implementing policies that promote equitable access to education, healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities.
According to Ojukwu, the month under review also witnesses significant and troublesome escalation in the activities of non-state armed groups across the country.
He added that the Human Rights Observatory recorded 298 killings and 360 abductions largely attributed to terrorists and bandit groups.
He noted that the north west continues to be a region of concern for us in this regards.
“We continue to see the worrisome trends of killings of men of our armed forces and the Police.
” This for us constitute a threat to security and the defence of human rights and we continue to call on all relevant authorities at state and national levels to stem this tide .
” One of the fundamental principles of democracy is the protection of human rights for all individuals, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, gender, or social status.
” As such, it is incumbent upon us, as the guardians of human rights in Nigeria, to remain vigilant and proactive in our efforts to safeguard these rights” he said.
He thanked all those who worked to the success of the report, also, their partners, the United Nations Development Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for their invaluable support.
He urged everyone to remember that the protection of human rights is not just a legal obligation, it is a moral imperative.
He added that ‘It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every individual in Nigeria can live a life of dignity, freedom, and equality. ‘
Hilary Ogbonna, senior human rights adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Commission and anchor person for the dashboard presented the graphic report of the month of May.
He said that the general state of human rights in Nigeria today are being confronted by numerous challenges.
” Part of what we are trying to capture is the continues violations situation, we have witness especially across different groups, citizens to law enforcement, to armed forces and various forms of violation that we also captured.
” What we have seen is mass killings and abduction are at there highest level in the month of May.
” We still see the arrest and prolong detention of journalists on charges bordering on cyber security act.
” We also see killings of law enforcement members, armed forces personnel, rise in violation against children’s rights.
” Of course the economic situation can be blamed for the varieties of human rights violations, but for now, we are still making our studies.
” Hopefully , by the next presentation in June or July, we will tell you the impact of economic factors in enjoyment of human rights ” he said.
