NHRC records 355,726 cases of human rights violations in December 2024

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has released its December 2024 report, revealing 355,726 complaints received in the month alone.

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This represents a remarkable increase compared to the 1,147 complaints received by the commission in January 2024, just about a year ago.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu attributed the surge to the growing public awareness and trust in the commission.

“This dramatic surge is a testament to the growing awareness among Nigerians of their rights, and the trust they have placed in the Commission as a crucial avenue for seeking justice and redress.

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“It is a clear indication that Nigerians are increasingly aware of their human rights and are turning to the Commission as a beacon of hope in the face of adversity,” he said Tuesday at the NHRC’s headquarters in Abuja during the monthly Dashboard presentation.

While the report recorded a 10 per cent decrease in complaints compared to November, it highlighted a concerning trend in the South-south, which topped the list of regions with the most reported cases with 104,912 complaints.

The Senior Human Rights Adviser to the NHRC, Hilary Ogbonna, said “we are seeing that South-South has recorded more human rights violations than northern states.”.

“If you look at the combined task force with different regions in Nigeria due to religious obligations and their religious observances either participate in Christmas or do not participate in Christmas.

“So, festivities-related violations are usually higher in the states where you celebrate Christmas.”

Thematic violations of human rights

The NHRC noted major trends in the complaints recorded in December 2024, featuring issues of freedom from discrimination, law enforcement and human dignity and economic, social and cultural rights violations.

The commission also noted that a disturbing number of casualties was recorded at palliative distribution centres across Nigeria during the festive season.

It added that there 1,223 reported cases of child abandonment attributed to economic hardship and 51 cases of rape.

While the economic situation of the country might not be favourable, Mr Ogbonna stressed that it was not an excuse for child abandonment.

He also noted that the number of reported rape cases was only a fraction of the actual cases due to the stigma and fear often faced by victims.

“51 are the women who have had the courage to approach our offices. 51 is also women who would probably for the rest of their lives live with the emotional trauma that has come out of the incident reported to us so don’t just call it 51, that 51 it could be even a thousand,” Mr Ogbonna said.

States in Focus in December

Zamfara State recorded 71 abductions and 13 killings, marking the highest number of such incidents in any state.

Similarly, 32 persons were killed in bandit attacks in Plateau State.

Gunmen also killed two policemen in Anambra State, while airstrikes struck civilians in Sokoto State.

In Delta, a teenage boy was killed by a police officer over fireworks, while 35-year-old Jimoh Abdulqadir was tortured to death in Kwara State.

While condemning the killings, Mr Ogbonna noted the intervention of the Inspector General of Police in the case of Jimoh Abdulqadir.

However, he called on “the Inspector General of Police, as well as the Commissioners of Police in the states, continue to bring to account officers and men of the force who are engaged in extrajudicial killings.”

NHRC calls on stakeholders for support

Giving an overview of the violations of human rights violations in 2024, Mr Ogbonna stressed that the number of cases recorded only reflected the cases reported by willing complainants willing to report the violations against them.

For his part, Mr Ojukwu, the NHRC’s executive secretary, called on all stakeholders to reinforce efforts in safeguarding human rights in 2025, even as the commission marks its 30th anniversary later in the year.

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“We call on all stakeholders—our government, civil society organizations, international partners, and all Nigerians—to come together to reinforce our collective efforts to combat systemic injustices.

“We will be making this year not just for the NHRC but for all Nigerians and recommit ourselves and the entire nation to realizing Nigeria’s obligations in international human rights.”