Northern Nigeria Faces Environmental Crisis as FG Unveils Plans to Revive Dying Rivers, Farmlands

By: Michael Mike

Alarm over worsening desertification and environmental degradation across Northern Nigeria has prompted the Federal Government to move ahead with new strategic plans aimed at restoring damaged ecosystems and safeguarding the livelihoods of millions of rural residents.

The initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, focuses on the development and validation of nine Strategic Catchment Management Plans intended to tackle land degradation, water scarcity and declining agricultural productivity in vulnerable communities.

The plans are currently being reviewed at a multi-stakeholder workshop in Abuja, where government officials, development partners, environmental experts and community representatives are examining strategies to restore critical watersheds and strengthen climate resilience across the region.

Officials said the intervention has become urgent as environmental pressures continue to threaten food production, water supply and the stability of rural communities in the country’s northern belt.

Director of Hydrology at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Abohwo Ngozi, who represented the Minister, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, warned that desert encroachment, erratic rainfall and shrinking water bodies are already affecting livelihoods across the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory.

She noted that degraded farmlands and drying rivers have become daily realities for farmers and pastoralists who depend on the region’s fragile ecosystems for survival.

According to Ngozi, the catchment management plans will provide a comprehensive framework for coordinating environmental restoration efforts while improving water and land management practices.

She explained that the strategies would help identify priority intervention areas, mobilise resources and guide long-term investments aimed at reversing environmental decline.

National Coordinator of the ACReSAL Project, Abdulhamid Umar, represented by Shettima Adams, said the nine catchment plans were developed after extensive consultations with communities directly affected by environmental degradation.

He said the catchments include Malenda, Oshin-Oyi, Gurara-Gbako, Aloma-Konshisha, Benue-Mada, Sarkin-Pawa-Kaduna, Zungur-Gongola, Gaji-Lamurde and Hawul-Kilange.

Umar noted that the plans would guide practical interventions such as tree planting, soil conservation, climate-smart agriculture and improved water management aimed at restoring ecosystems and boosting rural livelihoods.

“These plans reflect the voices of communities that are already living with the realities of desertification, shrinking water sources and degraded farmlands. They offer practical solutions designed to rebuild the landscapes and support sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

The catchment areas span several states including Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

Beyond environmental restoration, experts say improved catchment management could also help reduce tensions linked to competition for land and water resources among farmers, herders and rural communities in parts of Northern Nigeria.

Representing the World Bank Task Team Leader, Joy Iganya Agene, Henrietta Alhassan said the validation process marks an important step toward strengthening sustainable water resource management and climate adaptation efforts in the region.

She stressed that protecting catchment ecosystems is critical not only for environmental sustainability but also for ensuring long-term economic development and the resilience of communities that rely on these natural resources.

Officials involved in the programme said the workshop will complete the validation of the final batch of catchment plans, bringing the total number developed under the ACReSAL project to 20 and paving the way for large-scale environmental restoration and climate resilience interventions across Northern Nigeria.

Northern Nigeria Faces Environmental Crisis as FG Unveils Plans to Revive Dying Rivers, Farmlands

NHRC Chief Urges West Africa to Break Silence on Gender Violence, Reveals 3.7m Rights Complaints Received in 2025

By: Michael Mike

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, on Monday issued a strong call for urgent regional action to end gender-based violence, warning that millions of women and girls across Nigeria and West Africa continue to suffer abuse in silence.

Ojukwu made the appeal while delivering a keynote address at the International Women’s Day event organised by the Women’s Forum of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, where he stressed that breaking the silence around gender violence is essential to achieving justice and equality.

Speaking on the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls,” the NHRC boss warned that gender-based violence remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world, stripping women and girls of dignity, safety and opportunity.

He said that while International Women’s Day is often marked with speeches and celebrations, the deeper challenge lies in confronting the realities that many women face daily.

“Silence has too often been the accomplice of violence. Too many women suffer in silence because they fear stigma, retaliation or disbelief. Today we must declare with one voice that silence is no longer an option,” Ojukwu said.

The human rights chief, who was represented by the Commission’s Director Women and Children Department, Mrs. Ngozi Okorie, painted a troubling picture of the scale of abuse, noting that Nigeria alone accounts for about 10 per cent of global survivors of gender-based violence, with an estimated 20 million women affected.

Citing data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018, he said nearly one in three Nigerian women between the ages of 15 and 49 has experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in her life.

Ojukwu also disclosed that the National Human Rights Commission received 3,724,822 complaints of human rights violations in 2025, a figure he described as both alarming and revealing of the scale of rights abuses across the country.

According to him, the complaints ranged from gender-based violence and child rights violations to abuses against other vulnerable groups.

He said the figures were compiled through the Commission’s 36 state offices and the Abuja Metropolitan Office, reflecting growing public awareness of the Commission’s mandate and increased willingness by victims to report violations.

“In Kano State alone, the Commission recorded 3,019 complaints between January and December 2025. Out of these, 2,276 were resolved while 743 cases remain under investigation,” he said.

He added that the Commission’s human rights monitoring dashboard recorded 670 cases of child abandonment in December 2025 alone, warning that such cases highlight the deeper social consequences of discrimination and violence against women and girls.

The NHRC boss emphasised that the choice of the ECOWAS Court as the venue for the event was symbolic, noting that the regional court has become a crucial platform for human rights enforcement in West Africa.

He recalled landmark rulings of the court, including the case of Dorothy Njemanze v Nigeria, in which the court found Nigeria guilty of discriminatory policing and gender-based violence against women.

Ojukwu said the judgment reinforced the role of the court in ensuring accountability and protecting the rights of women across the region.

“The ECOWAS Court has proven that justice can reach even the most vulnerable woman in a remote village. When this court says ‘break the silence,’ it speaks with the authority of an institution that listens to the cry of the common woman,” he said.

He disclosed that the Commission has introduced several initiatives to combat gender-based violence, including the launch of a Human Rights Dashboard for tracking violations and the introduction of a national short code 6472 to enable victims easily report abuses.

Ojukwu said the Commission is also expanding access to justice through technology, nationwide public awareness campaigns and stronger collaboration with civil society organisations and the media.

He noted that the NHRC has also endorsed the Male Feminists Network, a civil society initiative aimed at mobilising men and boys to challenge harmful cultural norms that enable violence against women.

According to him, addressing gender-based violence requires collective action involving governments, the judiciary, civil society groups, the media and traditional leaders.

He called on ECOWAS member states to harmonise and strengthen laws against gender-based violence while ensuring the enforcement of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and other legal frameworks protecting women.

The NHRC chief further urged the judiciary to establish specialised gender-based violence courts, fast-track cases involving abuse against women and children and adopt survivor-centred approaches in the administration of justice.

He also appealed to the media to play a stronger role in exposing abuses and amplifying the voices of survivors while reporting cases with sensitivity and respect for victims.

“Ending gender-based violence requires more than sympathy. It demands justice. Perpetrators must be held accountable and survivors must have access to remedies that restore dignity and hope,” he said.

Ojukwu said by urging governments and stakeholders across West Africa to move beyond rhetoric and commit to concrete action that guarantees safety, dignity and equal rights for every woman and girl.

On her part, the President, ECOWAS Court of Justice Women’s Forum, Oluwatosin Nguher noted that gender-based violence remains one of the most pervasive human rights challenges of our time.

She said: “It undermines dignity, weakens institutions, disrupts communities, and directly affects access to justice.”

Nguher further stated that: “As a judicial institution serving the ECOWAS region, we cannot be indifferent to its impact. Silence perpetuates harm; action restores hope. Therefore, our proposed activities are carefully structured to foster informed dialogue, strengthen preventive strategies, and reaffirm our Court’s unwavering commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls.”

She charged that: “Together, through unity, awareness, and deliberate action, we can ensure that rights are protected, justice is accessible, and opportunities are equitable for all women and girls across the ECOWAS region.”

NHRC Chief Urges West Africa to Break Silence on Gender Violence, Reveals 3.7m Rights Complaints Received in 2025

Reps Hearing: Ojukwu, Stakeholders Push for Stronger NHRC, Legal Shield for Human Rights Defenders

By: Michael Mike

A coalition of government officials, lawmakers and civil society leaders have rallied behind sweeping reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s human rights architecture, as the House of Representatives held a public hearing on two key bills aimed at reinforcing the mandate and independence of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

At the centre of deliberations were the National Human Rights Commission Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2025 and the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, 2024 — proposals advocates say could redefine institutional safeguards for rights protection in the country.

Leading the charge was the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, who argued that the existing legal framework no longer sufficiently addresses emerging human rights realities.

He maintained that the repeal and re-enactment of the Commission’s Act would entrench greater operational independence, improve oversight functions and guarantee sustainable funding.

According to Ojukwu, the proposed legislation clearly identifies funding streams for a National Human Rights Fund, designed to ensure financial autonomy and enable rapid response in emergencies. He noted that the bill would formally incorporate the National Preventive Mechanism within the Commission, strengthening independent monitoring of detention facilities and reinforcing safeguards against torture and inhumane treatment.

He also said the bill would provide statutory backing for the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, a move aimed at holding corporate actors accountable for rights violations and promoting responsible business conduct.

In a significant institutional reform, the bill proposes that the Executive Secretary of the Commission must emerge from within its directorate cadre, rather than being appointed externally. Ojukwu said the measure would preserve professionalism and continuity in the Commission’s leadership.

On the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, he stressed that individuals and groups advocating for justice often operate under threats, harassment and intimidation. The proposed law, he explained, would create legal protections and response mechanisms to shield them from reprisals.

Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Hon. Useni Jalo, reaffirmed the legislature’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions through progressive lawmaking. He described the hearing as part of broader efforts to consolidate citizens’ trust in governance.

International partners also signalled support. The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, represented by Ms. Ajuwa Kufour, said passage of the bills would further align Nigeria’s human rights institution with the Paris Principles, the global benchmark for national human rights bodies.

Chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde, assured stakeholders that the legislative process would remain transparent and inclusive, pledging sustained engagement with civil society and government agencies.

However, dissenting views emerged from the Federal Ministry of Justice. Imarha Reuben, representing the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, cautioned against what he described as legislative proliferation. He argued that Nigeria already possesses adequate legal frameworks and urged lawmakers to focus on harmonising and effectively implementing existing laws rather than enacting new ones.

Despite the differing perspectives, stakeholders broadly agreed that strengthening the NHRC’s legal and institutional framework remains critical to advancing accountability, safeguarding dignity and deepening Nigeria’s democratic culture.

The hearing closed with renewed calls for collaboration between the legislature, executive and civil society to ensure that reforms translate into meaningful protection for ordinary Nigerians.

Reps Hearing: Ojukwu, Stakeholders Push for Stronger NHRC, Legal Shield for Human Rights Defenders