NHRC receives over 365,000 discrimination, abuses, other complaints in 3 months

.. Urges full human rights enjoyment for displaced persons

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has revealed that it received over 365,000 complaints related to discrimination, abuse, and other human rights violations across the country between May and July 2025.

The Commission made the disclosure on Tuesday during the presentation of its August Human Rights Situation Dashboard, where it also urged government and humanitarian actors to ensure the full enjoyment of human rights for all displaced persons, regardless of their status or origin.

The Commission further called on all levels of government, civil society, and the private sector to work together to address human rights challenges. It emphasized the need to strengthen early warning systems and referral mechanisms, scale up digital reporting platforms, prioritize economic, social, and cultural rights in policymaking, enhance law enforcement accountability, and eliminate all forms of discrimination.

Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, who made these calls in Abuja, reiterated the Commission’s commitment to implementing the National Action Plan on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. He urged stakeholders to support community-led efforts, particularly in conflict-prone regions such as the North-West, and youth-focused forums in the South-East.

Ojukwu announced that the NHRC recorded 365,224 complaints from its 38 collection centers nationwide over the three-month period. The data revealed a troubling surge in cases involving discrimination, violations of economic and social rights, and abuses by law enforcement agencies. He stressed that the complaints are not mere statistics but reflect a nation’s demand for fairness, justice, and respect.

The August dashboard also spotlighted Nigeria’s deepening internal displacement crisis. Between May and July 2025, the Commission documented 8,966 new displacements, contributing to a total of 53,261 displaced persons tracked since February. According to Ojukwu, these figures represent real Nigerians whose dignity and humanity have been severely affected by multiple human rights violations.

During the same period, the NHRC recorded 10,710 returnees who moved back to their communities, 5,191 refugees, and 2,275 asylum seekers.

Ojukwu expressed appreciation to the Commission’s partners, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), for their continued support in promoting human rights across the country.

Presenting the dashboard, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Hillary Ogbona, noted that the 365,224 complaints received marked a significant increase in reported abuses and violations nationwide. He provided a regional breakdown, indicating that the North Central region recorded the highest number of complaints with 152,870, followed by the North West with 70,002, the North East with 68,598, the South East with 45,849, the South South with 14,041, and the South West with 13,864.

Ogbona expressed concern over persistent human rights violations, particularly in conflict-affected regions, and called for the urgent passage of a national policy on civilian protection. He said the inability to protect civilians in conflict zones remains a major challenge and stressed that urgent policy action is needed.

The NHRC dashboard also revealed that in the month of August alone, 2,430 women were denied access to their children, 450 cases of kidnapping were reported, 306 killings occurred, and there were 368 instances of child abandonment. Additionally, 14 personnel of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies were killed, with the incidents attributed to bandits, cultists, Boko Haram, Lakawura, and unknown gunmen.

As part of its response, the Commission concluded investigations into 2,603 cases, visited 85 correctional centres and detention facilities, issued summons and letters to the Nigerian Police, and conducted visits to seven military formations across the country during the same period.