NHRC Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Abuses, 406,000 Complaints Recorded in October

NHRC Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Abuses, 406,000 Complaints Recorded in October

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the rising number of human rights violations across Nigeria, revealing that it received more than 406,000 complaints and monitored over 160 incidents of rights abuses in October 2025 alone.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (OFR, SAN, FICMC), made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja while presenting the October 2025 Human Rights Situation Dashboard, a monthly evidence-based report used to track patterns of human rights violations nationwide.

The Dashboard, now in its 22nd month, serves as a tool for policy guidance, advocacy, and public accountability, offering detailed analysis of complaints received and incidents observed through the NHRC’s network of 38 state offices and its Human Rights Observatory.

“The Dashboard has become an indispensable tool for evidence-based advocacy, policy direction, and public accountability,” Ojukwu said. “It provides a mirror to the state of our human rights situation as we continue to confront conflict, insecurity, and criminality.”

According to the NHRC, 406,088 complaints were received in October, reflecting persistent issues around arbitrary detention, police misconduct, sexual and gender-based violence, access to justice, and violations of civil liberties.

Although the Commission recorded a slight drop in killings and abductions compared to September which Ojukwu described as a possible sign of improved security he said the overall picture remains grim, with “hundreds of lives lost in coordinated attacks across Niger, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Kogi, and Kwara States.”

“Farmers, herders, women, children, and entire communities have suffered attacks and displacements,” he lamented. “These are not statistics; they are Nigerian mothers, fathers, and children whose dignity has been violated.”

Ojukwu called for urgent intervention by both state and non-state actors, stressing that “the protection of human rights is inseparable from national stability and development.”

The NHRC chief highlighted growing concerns around suicide, extra-judicial killings, torture, inhumane treatment in schools, and the violation of fundamental freedoms such as movement, assembly, and religion.

He said such violations, while often overshadowed by insecurity, erode public trust in institutions and must be addressed through timely reporting, accountability, and reform.

Dr. Ojukwu also weighed in on recent diplomatic tensions following U.S. threats to intervene in Nigeria’s internal affairs over the reported killing of Christians by extremists.

While acknowledging that religiously motivated killings have occurred, he urged for a more nuanced understanding of Nigeria’s conflict dynamics.

“It is true that conflicts and insurgency in Nigeria have led to killings by religious extremists targeting Christian civilians,” he noted. “But it is important to highlight that citizens from other faiths have also been victims.”

Ojukwu stressed that the Nigerian government’s constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property as enshrined in Section 14(2) of the 1999 Constitution must remain paramount.

He, however, cautioned against external interference, insisting that terrorism and violent extremism are complex internal challenges requiring cooperation, not threats.

“Boko Haram and ISWAP have the ideology of Islamising Nigeria,” he explained. “They believe some Nigerian Muslims are not true Muslims and should be killed like Christians. The common enemy here is Boko Haram, who is killing both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria for religious reasons.”

He called on the international community particularly the United States to support Nigeria’s counterterrorism and peacebuilding efforts instead of issuing punitive warnings.

“Rather than threats, what Nigeria needs is partnership and mutual respect,” he said. “Only through collaboration can we end terrorism and secure the lives and liberties of all Nigerians.”

Reaffirming the Commission’s independence and objectivity, Ojukwu said the NHRC remains guided by the Paris Principles, which emphasize impartiality, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law.

He urged all stakeholders government agencies, the media, civil society, and international partners — to interpret human rights data responsibly and recognize the complex realities shaping Nigeria’s security environment.

“The Dashboard is a tool for awareness, advocacy, and action not an instrument of division or blame,” he stressed. “Only through collective responsibility can we uphold the dignity and rights of every person.”

Ojukwu also appreciated the NHRC’s partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Government of Norway for supporting the Tripartite Partnership Programme (TPP) that powers the Commission’s human rights monitoring work.

He commended the dedication of NHRC’s state and FCT offices for gathering the data and the media for amplifying the Commission’s voice.

The October Dashboard underscores a paradox in Nigeria’s human rights landscape: a gradual reduction in overt insecurity metrics such as killings and abductions, yet a surge in institutional violations and socio-economic distress indicators like suicide and police misconduct.

Analysts say the NHRC’s data-driven approach has made the Commission one of the few government institutions providing consistent, verifiable insight into the intersection of security, justice, and governance.

As Ojukwu concluded, the human rights situation remains a test of Nigeria’s democratic maturity:

“Our shared commitment to justice and dignity,” he said, “remains the foundation upon which Nigeria can thrive.”

NHRC Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Abuses, 406,000 Complaints Recorded in October