The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reported a total of 406,088 human rights complaints and more than 160 monitored incidents of violations across Nigeria in the month of October.
Gatekeepers News reports that According to the Human Rights Situation Dashboard presented in Abuja on Monday, the commission expressed concern that Abuja, Benue, and Borno States topped the list for child rights violations, particularly sexual and gender-based violence.
Delivering the presentation, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN), said the figures underscore ongoing challenges with sexual and gender-based violence, police misconduct, arbitrary detention, and violations of civil liberties nationwide.
“These are not mere statistics; they are Nigerian mothers, fathers, and children whose dignity has been violated,” Ojukwu said, calling for urgent government and community intervention to protect vulnerable populations.
The October report detailed several disturbing incidents of sexual violence across multiple states.
Presenting the findings in Lagos, Hillary Ogbonna, the commission’s Human Rights Advisor, cited a number of cases, including the arrest of a man accused of defiling his 19-year-old daughter.
Similarly, in Ekiti State, two men were accused of sexually assaulting a woman, while in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), cases included the rape of a 13-year-old hawker in Kuje and the gang-rape of a 15-year-old girl by two men in the same area.
In Plateau State, the commission reported that a man was arrested for defiling a three-year-old girl, while in Enugu, a father allegedly defiled his two daughters. In Rivers State, a 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at a football academy.
The NHRC reaffirmed its commitment to securing justice for all victims of sexual violence and echoed the continuing public demand for justice in the case of Ochanya Elizabeth Ogbanje, the 13-year-old girl who died in 2018 after enduring years of sexual abuse.
The commission also condemned acts of banishment, describing them as unconstitutional. It cited a case in Benue State where a pregnant widow was expelled from her community after being accused of stealing household items to feed her children.
Dr. Ojukwu stressed that such acts violate several provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, including Sections 34, 35, 40, and 41, which guarantee the rights to dignity, liberty, association, and freedom of movement.
The report further highlighted violations of the right to peaceful assembly, citing recent police crackdowns on protesters in the FCT demanding the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. Demonstrators were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons, while some journalists and protest leaders were reportedly arrested.
Responding to U.S. criticism over the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria, Ojukwu clarified that both Christians and Muslims have suffered at the hands of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP.
“The common enemy here is Boko Haram, which targets both Christians and Muslims,” he said. “Rather than threats, we urge the international community to support Nigeria’s efforts to end terrorism through partnership and mutual respect.”
The NHRC called for institutional and procedural reforms in the prosecution of sexual offences and for increased support for survivors of abuse.
Reaffirming the commission’s dedication to the Paris Principles, Ojukwu said the NHRC remains committed to impartiality, transparency, and independence in promoting and protecting human rights.
“The Dashboard is not an instrument of blame but of advocacy and accountability,” he concluded. “Our shared commitment to human rights is the foundation upon which Nigeria can thrive.”
The presentation was attended by representatives of the United Nations and ECOWAS, including Ambassador Fredrich Ebert Stiftung, who commended the NHRC for its “service to the nation” and its data-driven approach to advancing democracy and human rights.
