NHRC: 365,224 Human Rights Abuses Recorded in August

By: Michael Mike

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu has disclosed that 365,224 human rights abuse cases were received by

the commission in August alone.

He made the disclosure at the presentation of the National Human Rights Dashboard, and the ‘Protection of Human Rights of Forcibly Displaced Persons through Information/Data Collection and Documentation in Nigeria’ initiative, spotlighting the plights of IDPs, Returnees, Refugees and Asylum Seekers tracked from May to July 2025. On Tuesday in Abuja.

Ojukwu said, the commission got three hundred and and sixty four thousand, two hundred and sixty five voices who entrusted them with their stories.

He said: “In August, the National Human Rights Commission stood as a beacon of hope for Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Four (365,224) voices who entrusted us with their stories of struggle for enjoyment of human rights. These complaints, received across our 38 collection points in Nigeria reveal a nation at a crossroad.”

Ojukwu further said: “The data speaks loudly, spotlighting three critical areas: Freedom from Discrimination, Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ESCR), and Law Enforcement and Human Dignity. These are not mere statistics; they are the pulse of a people yearning for fairness, justice, and respect.

“Our Observatory’s findings amplify this urgency, documenting incidents of human rights violations across all geo-political zones. The North-West, particularly Zamfara and Katsina, bore the brunt of banditry, with mass killings like the tragic loss of 50 worshippers in a Katsina mosque and abductions of 45 in Zamfara’s Bakura.

“In urban centers like FCT and Kwara, mob justice surged, with lynchings over theft and blasphemy allegations, reflecting a crisis of trust in law enforcement.”

‘In addition he said, “The Observatory also highlights a distressing rise in violations against vulnerable groups. Sexual and gender-based violence targeted minors, with harrowing cases of rape against girls as young as 2 in Ekiti and 7 in Ondo. Benue and FCT reported deadly farmer-herder clashes, while land disputes fueled killings in Ebonyi. Suicides in Osun and Imo, linked to financial and academic stress, signal an urgent need for mental health support.”

“These trends paint a stark picture. Yet, they also galvanize us to act: to strengthen child protection laws, reform policing with transparency tools, and address land tenure to curb communal violence.

He also called on relevant authorities to increase their efforts in protecting humans. “The state of vulnerable population in Nigeria should be of great concern to governments at federal, state and local levels.

Our Dashboard on the Human Rights and Internal Displacements reveal humanitarian crises of immense proportion. Multiple factors such as raging conflicts, banditry, and climatic disasters have thrown up internal displacements impacting on the human rights of poor and already traumatised populations.”

On Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) he said, “Our engagement with community protection action group members in project documented 8,966 displacements between May to July and a cumulative 53,261 from February to July. These are not just mere numbers. They represent Nigerians who have been exposed to multiple human rights violations, impacting on their dignity and humanity.

“The National Human Rights Commission with the support of our partners, UNHCR have also documented rising incidences of numbers of populations of returnees and refugees across our project sites. Between the months of May and July, there were a total of 10,710 Returnees to communities, 5,191 refugees and 2.275 Asylum Seekers in the same period.

“These dashboards continue to serve as our compasses. They point us to work for a Nigeria where no one is left behind, where discrimination fades, opportunities flourish, and dignity is non-negotiable. I call on all stakeholders to support our Vision: real-time alerts, nationwide response, and policies that breathe life into the lived experience of every Nigerian.” he emphasised

NHRC: 365,224 Human Rights Abuses Recorded in August

Nigerian Army has not captured IPOB commander ‘Gentle de Yahoo’ – Zagazola Fact Check

By Zagazola Makama

A viral report claiming that the Nigerian Army arrested a notorious commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), identified as Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta, also known as Gentle de Yahoo, has been found to be FALSE and fabricated.

The report, alleged that troops of 34 Artillery Brigade in a joint operation arrested the said commander in Aku-Ihube, Okigwe LGA of Imo State, and recovered arms, ammunition, uniforms, motorcycles, and even a German flag from his hideout.

Checks by Zagazola Fact Check revealed that: The Nigerian Army has made no such announcement through its official channels, including the Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR) or 34 Artillery Brigade, Obinze.

No verified security or credible media outlet has reported the arrest of any IPOB/ESN commander with the name Ifeanyi Eze Okorienta or alias Gentle de Yahoo.

The report is therefore a deliberate fabrication designed to mislead the public and should be disregarded.

Zagazola advises the public to rely only on verified military statements and credible news sources for updates on security operations.

Nigerian Army has not captured IPOB commander ‘Gentle de Yahoo’ – Zagazola Fact Check

More Incentives For Farmers As FG Unveils New Agric Investment Incentives

• VP Shettima pledges enhanced credit access, irrigation expansion, full-time rural jobs

By: Our Reporter

The Federal Government has announced fresh incentives to boost agricultural investment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

This is part of ongoing reforms to unlock Nigeria’s vast food production potential through new policies that serve as a game-changer for agriculture and infrastructure investments in the country.

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday during the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) National and Subregional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum.

According to him, while hunger poses a global security issue, Nigeria must mobilise its strengths to secure a future of abundance.

“Nothing unifies humanity as much as hunger. It is the great equaliser that reveals our vulnerabilities and the shared fragility of our existence. Food is not merely a matter of survival, it is a matter of global security,” he said.

The Vice President noted that the administration is introducing single-window platforms for land registration, strengthening agricultural credit systems, expanding irrigation infrastructure, and scaling mechanisation.

“We must facilitate access to land and resources for serious investors. We must drive mechanisation to reduce drudgery and enhance productivity. We must strengthen the agricultural credit system to ensure capital flows to where it is needed most,” he said.

Senator Shettima specifically observed that irrigation is a game-changer, noting that Nigeria has river basins and aquifers capable of irrigating over three million hectares but currently uses less than ten per cent.

“Strategic investment in irrigation alone could triple yields, free us from seasonal dependency, and fortify our resilience against climate shocks,” he added.

The Vice President also assured investors that Nigeria’s policies are being re-engineered to attract capital through regulatory reforms, public-private partnerships, and agri-tech innovation.

“Nigeria is open for business, and we are ready to partner with you. Let us work hand-in-hand to build a Nigeria and a subregion where no one goes to bed hungry, where rural communities are hubs of wealth creation, and where agriculture is the true foundation of our prosperity,” VP Shettima said.

The Vice President further assured that Nigeria is open for business and ready to partner with relevant stakeholders and investors in implementing its national blueprint targeted at creating 21 million full-time jobs in rural and agrarian communities, while securing national food and nutrition sufficiency.

“The vehicle to this future is the quality of policies we have chosen to prioritise. At the top of these interventions stands our National Development Plan (2021–2025), which has set forth ambitious but achievable targets.

“This blueprint seeks to lift 35 million Nigerians out of poverty, create 21 million full-time jobs in rural and agrarian communities, and secure national food and nutrition sufficiency through deliberate and strategic investments in agriculture,” he added.

Earlier, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, made a presentation on Nigeria’s investment atmosphere and country profile, highlighting key challenges and potentials for investment across the agribusiness value chain.

He said a combination of Nigeria’s domestic market, large arable land, clement weather and fast growing digital economy, present unique opportunities for investment across the agribusiness ecosystem.

For his part, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, said the economic potential of Nigeria remains largely untapped especially in agriculture and irrigation which hold significant promise for economic diversification and transformation.

He noted that agriculture, particularly agribusiness, remains a pivotal component of Nigeria’s national development plan in the medium and long term, as well as the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security of The Gambia, Dr Demba Sabally, commended the FAO for hosting the event and Nigeria’s leadership in agriculture, highlighting the country’s success stories in the rice and cassava value chains as worthy of emulation by countries in the sub-region and beyond.

He emphasized the need for peer review among countries in the West African sub-region because of their common challenges and opportunities for growth and transformation.

In the same vein, representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr Hussein Gadain, said the Hand-in-Hand Initiative is FAO’s “evidence-based, country-led, and country-owned flagship programme, designed to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development.”

He said the programme is squarely aimed at eradicating poverty, ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition, and reducing inequalities. It is our vehicle for achieving the SDGs.

Commending Nigeria’s clear agricultural development priorities and describing them as catalysts for transformative and sustainable growth within Africa’s agri-food systems, Dr Gadain hailed Vice President Shettima’s genuine commitment and visionary leadership in transforming Nigeria’s agri-food systems.

According to the FAO rep, the VP’s “passion for agriculture, food security, and nutrition is unmatched. He has been a driving force in attracting crucial investments and fostering innovation, and his continued engagement deserves our highest commendation.”

Also, the Head of the EU Delegation in Nigeria, Mr Gautier Mignot, said the Hand-in-Hand Initiative reflects Nigeria’s strong commitment to strengthen food security and deepen investment across the agribusiness value chain.

He declared that the EU remains Nigeria’s long term partner in Nigeria’s agricultural journey and is committed to investing in value chain development in the country, starting with the recent investment of over 80 million euros to unlock opportunities in key value chains across 7 states.

He said the EU stands ready to deepen collaboration with Nigeria as a partner to ensure irrigation becomes a pathway for economic growth and agricultural transformation.

More Incentives For Farmers As FG Unveils New Agric Investment Incentives