Reps Panel Applauds NHRC’s 2025 Performance, Signals Support for ₦20bn 2026 Budget

By: Michael Mike

The House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights has commended the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for what it described as a resilient and impactful performance in 2025, pledging legislative backing for the Commission’s proposed ₦20 billion budget for 2026.

The endorsement came during the Commission’s budget defence before the Committee, where lawmakers acknowledged the NHRC’s efforts to sustain its mandate despite financial constraints and mounting human rights concerns across the country.

Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Peter Abiola Makinde, praised the Commission for maintaining visibility, transparency and public accountability, particularly through its Human Rights Dashboard, which provides updates on complaints received and actions taken. He noted that at a time of increasing reports of violations affecting fundamental freedoms, the Commission has remained active and responsive.

Makinde stressed that the National Assembly has a constitutional responsibility to strengthen institutions that protect citizens’ rights, assuring the NHRC of continued collaboration and oversight support.

Presenting the Commission’s 2025 performance report, the Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, revealed that the NHRC recorded more than 3.7 million complaints within the year. He attributed the high number to growing public awareness and confidence in the Commission as an accessible platform for redress.

According to Ojukwu, the surge in complaints highlights the urgent need to strengthen investigative capacity, improve complaint resolution mechanisms, and expand the Commission’s physical presence nationwide.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining institutional independence in line with the Paris Principles, which set global standards for national human rights bodies. To improve access to justice at the grassroots, he disclosed that eight new state offices have been constructed under his leadership, with plans underway to establish 20 additional offices in 2026.

The Executive Secretary also pointed to infrastructure challenges at the Commission’s headquarters, noting that staff numbers have tripled since 2007, making expansion and renovation imperative.

For the 2026 fiscal year, the NHRC is proposing a ₦20 billion budget. Of this amount, 33.67 percent is earmarked for personnel and overhead costs, while 66.33 percent is allocated to capital projects — a distribution Ojukwu said reflects a deliberate strategy to prioritize infrastructure, operational expansion and improved service delivery.

In response, members of the Committee indicated readiness to support the proposal, urging the Commission to build on its gains and intensify efforts to safeguard and promote human rights nationwide.

The Committee’s endorsement signals strengthened legislative confidence in the NHRC at a time when public demand for accountability and rights protection continues to grow.

Reps Panel Applauds NHRC’s 2025 Performance, Signals Support for ₦20bn 2026 Budget

Nigeria-China Relations at 55: Dialogue Highlights Achievements, Strategic Opportunities, and Shared Future

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria and China marked 55 years of diplomatic relations on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, with a high-level dialogue at the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), reflecting on past achievements and exploring opportunities for deeper cooperation across economic, cultural, and strategic sectors.

The event, themed “Nigeria-China at 55 and Beyond”, brought together senior government officials, diplomats, scholars, and private sector leaders. It featured remarks from the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II, IPCR Director-General Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, representatives from the Chinese Embassy, and the Centre for China Studies (CCS), highlighting the significance of the long-standing partnership.

In his welcome address, Dr. Ochogwu described the dialogue as a timely platform to assess the evolution of Nigeria-China relations, which have grown from diplomatic ties to a comprehensive partnership spanning infrastructure, trade, technology, education, and people-to-people exchanges.

“Partnerships such as Nigeria-China relations must be continually examined through the lens of peace, stability, and sustainable development,” Dr. Ochogwu said. He emphasized that sustainable development and durable peace are inseparable, noting that economic cooperation must be people-centered, conflict-sensitive, and aligned with national and regional stability goals.

Emir Sanusi II reflected on his personal connection to Nigeria-China relations, recalling that his father, Ambassador Aminu Sanusi, served as Nigeria’s first ambassador to China in 1971. He highlighted the strategic importance of deploying experienced diplomats to critical posts, urging policymakers to prioritize long-term national interests over prestige when determining postings.

“Diplomatic deployments must align with national interests, particularly in emerging geopolitical realities,” he said. Sanusi also stressed that while Chinese infrastructure projects are welcome, Nigeria must focus on domestic production and industrialization to fully leverage bilateral cooperation under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Representatives of the Chinese Embassy reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening strategic trust, advancing shared development, strengthening multilateral engagement, and promoting mutual learning among civilizations. They cited landmark achievements, including the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Zungeru Hydropower Station, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Natural Gas Pipeline, and railway modernization projects.

“Over 55 years, China and Nigeria have been trusted friends, supporting each other in national development and regional peace,” the Chinese delegation said. Bilateral trade surpassed USD 28 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of over 28 percent, while Chinese direct investment reached USD 690 million, up 103 percent from 2024. People-to-people ties, including educational exchanges, Confucius Institutes, and cultural festivals, were also highlighted as key pillars of the relationship.

The Centre for China Studies (CCS) underscored the historical context of the relationship, noting Nigeria’s early support for China’s seat at the United Nations in 1971 and the continued adherence to the One China Policy. CCS Director Charles Onunaiju emphasized that Nigeria is strategically positioned to benefit from China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and called for closer study of China’s governance and economic policies to inform national development strategies.

“Even though Nigeria and China have achieved much over the past 55 years, what lies ahead is even greater,” Onunaiju said, urging policymakers and scholars to focus on structural transformation, industrialization, and mutually beneficial cooperation.

The dialogue concluded with calls for strengthened strategic engagement, alignment of development priorities, and enhanced people-to-people exchanges, reflecting a shared commitment to sustainable development, regional stability, and a long-term partnership between the two nations.

Nigeria-China Relations at 55: Dialogue Highlights Achievements, Strategic Opportunities, and Shared Future

Owo Church Attack: 8th DSS Witness Corroborates 7th’s Testimony Identifying 2nd Defendant Al Quasim As Part of Bloodbath

By: Our Reporter

An eight witness of the Department of State Services (DSS) in the ongoing trial of suspected attackers of the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, in 2022, on Wednesday corroborated the Tuesday testimony of a 7th witness who identified one of the suspects as being part of those who carried out the attack.

Like the 7th DSS witness did on Tuesday, the 8th also identified the 2nd defendant, Al Quasim Idris, as being part of those who allegedly killed the worshippers.

The witness, an Amotekun operative, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he was one of the officers who arrived in the church premises shortly after the attack. He identified Al Quasim Idris as one of those who, shortly after the attack, exchanged gunfire at close range with him in a nearby bush.

The DSS is prosecuting Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25 years), Al Qasim Idris (20 years), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26 years), Abdulhaleem Idris (25 years) and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47 years) over the June 5, 2022 attack on the church.

Earlier on Tuesday, another Amotekun officer, who is listed as the seventh witness of the DSS, in open court, identified Al Quasim Idris as one of those with whom he came face-to-face during a gunfight that ensued.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting lawyer, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), SSH, who is the eight prosecution witness (PW8), on Wednesday, gave details of how they trailed and tried to apprehend the attackers, resulting in the exchange of gunfire with Al Quasim Idris.

SSH said: “On June 5, 2022 as an operative of Amotekun, we received a distress call from the anti-kidnapping squad. We were on an anti-kidnapping mission when we received another call that there was an attack at the St. Francis Church, Owo.

“So, we were asked to withdraw and head to St Francis Church. On getting to the church, we met a crowd and managed to enter the premises.

“When we entered the church premises, we saw several dead bodies on the floor, both inside and around the church, including some injured people, including women and children,” he said.

The witness added: “We later came outside the church and learnt that the attackers were four in number and that they were the ones who zoomed off in a blue Nissan car as we were arriving.

“We got into our vehicle and started to trail them towards Ute Road, because that was the information we got. We were able to get close to them because our vehicle was better than the one they were in.”

SSH said at a point, “the attackers abruptly parked their car and ran into the bush. One of our men and a volunteer hunter went after them while the rest of us waited strategically.”

The witness said that it was during an intense gun battle with the attackers in the bush that he sighted Al Quasim Idris. He, however, added that the assailants succeeded in killing the volunteer hunter.

“We were able to get back to the bush to retrieve the body of the hunter,” the witness stated.

The Amotekun officer stated that they later took the Nissan car to their office before it was later moved to their state headquarters.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness said he could not remember how many of them brought out the hunter’s corpse from the bush.

On whether they made efforts to identify the actual owner of the Nissan car, the witness said: “Before we moved the vehicle to the state headquarters at Akure, the owner came to our office to identify himself as the owner of the vehicle.”

When asked if they interviewed the owner of the vehicle, the witness said that was done in their office, but that he was not part of those who interviewed the owner of the car..

At the conclusion of the cross-examination, Adedipe prayed the court to grant a three consecutive day adjournment to enable the prosecution call its last set of witnesses and close its case.

The defence lawyer did not oppose, following which Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned till March 24, 25 and 26 for continuation of trial.

Owo Church Attack: 8th DSS Witness Corroborates 7th’s Testimony Identifying 2nd Defendant Al Quasim As Part of Bloodbath