In a shocking report, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has revealed that Nigeria experienced 1,580 incidents of human rights violations in March, across all six geopolitical zones. These violations include 79 kidnappings, 122 killings, and cases of domestic violence, child rights abuses, and abductions.
Senior Human Rights Advisor to the NHRC, Mr. Hilary Ogbona, revealed that the majority of complaints were received from the North Central region of the country, with 468 cases reported. This data provides a glimpse into the areas of the country that are most affected by human rights violations.
According to Mr. Ogbona, the majority of human rights violations were perpetrated by state actors, including the police, military, and Department of State Service (DSS), which accounted for 94 of the reported cases. This raises concerns about the role of state actors in perpetrating human rights violations, and the need for greater accountability and oversight of these institutions.
Mr. Ogbona also revealed that the killings of military and police personnel in Delta State, as well as violations of children’s rights, were all documented in the report. In total, 542 cases of children’s rights violations were recorded. In addition, 471 cases of domestic violence were also documented. While the majority of these cases were perpetrated by non-state actors and private individuals.
Mr. Ogbona further explained that the report included 157 cases related to economic, social, and cultural rights, 24 cases that were referred to other institutions, and 499 cases of killings and kidnappings. Additionally, 71 cases of violations of the right to life were also recorded by the Commission during this period. The 1,580 total cases of human rights violations represent the data collected by the NHRC’s 36 state offices and its headquarters in Abuja.
Mr. Ogbona highlights the increasing number of human rights violations, pointing out the case of 301 school children abducted in Kaduna State and 40 people killed in Benue State as particularly troubling. He also pointed to the deaths of four people in Nasarawa State due to a conflict over the distribution of palliatives, and noted that reprisal attacks were a major factor in the rising number of human rights violations.
He emphasized the importance of the police and military conducting their investigations in accordance with the laws and regulations that govern their conduct. He stressed further that the importance of respecting the national and international laws that protect the rights of all individuals. He called on the authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure that all citizens are treated with respect and dignity. He stressed that only through the fair and equitable enforcement of the law can human rights violations be prevented and justice served.
The National Human Rights Commission’s monthly dashboard, which aims to make the country’s human rights situation more transparent, is supported by the United Nations Development Program, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and other organizations.
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