The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday said it recorded 268,787 human rights complaints in May, an increase of 2,000 compared to April. It said the record makes May a devastating month for human rights in Nigeria.
As in previous months, most complaints the NHRC received in May chiefly concerned discrimination and violations by law enforcement.
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Also, the NHRC’s observatory documented multiple abductions that violated the rights to education, movement, life, and freedom of religion.
Tony Ojukwu, the NHRC’s executive secretary, said the May dashboard presentation reflects Nigeria’s challenge in securing human rights for its citizens.
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Mr Ojukwu, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said, “Notably, violations involving state actors remain the most significant concern. May 2026 has been a devastating month for human rights in Nigeria.
“Within the span of 31 days, we witnessed incidents that deeply challenged our collective commitment to human dignity and fundamental freedoms,” he said.
On 15 May, PREMIUM TIMES reported that armed hoodlums riding motorcycles attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, near Alawusa, as well as Community Grammar School and L.E.A Primary School in Ahoro-Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
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Similarly, suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents attacked schools and homes in the rural community, initially leaving over 40 children unaccounted for. Many of the children are toddlers or lower primary pupils.
Shedding more light on the list, Hilary Ogbonna, NHRC’s senior human rights adviser, expressed worry over other forms of incidents recorded in May.
These incidents, according to him, included the abductions of 15 persons in Katsina, including women and infants, at Bakori; 13 males in Danko/Wasagu in Kebbi; and 12 passengers in Ondo State.
Mr Ogbonna also said the freedom of religion was threatened in three states in the month under focus.
Worshippers were attacked during a vigil in Kwara State, north-central Nigeria. Three people were killed, and 15 abducted during the attack. Mr Ogbonna said attackers hacked an Islamic cleric to death in another community during the period.
In Kaduna State, located in Nigeria’s North-west, bandits attacked a mosque in Giwa. In Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and part of the North-central zone, gunmen kidnapped 13 persons who were travelling to a religious event.
Of the 268,787 human rights complaints the NHRC received in May, 202 involved kidnappings and 390 involved extra-judicial killings, including 92 deaths in road accidents.
“These incidents reflect not isolated tragedies but a broader humanitarian concern that requires urgent national attention.
“One of the most disturbing incidents recorded during the month occurred in Tumfa, Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, where a military airstrike reportedly struck a civilian market patronised by terrorists,” Mr Ojukwu said.
Mr Ojukwu mentioned the NHRC’s consultation with the Nigerian Air Force and the Armed Forces’ efforts to investigate air strikes that might have affected civilians.
Following the recent airstrikes aimed at terrorists but killed civilians, the NHRC demanded an explanation from the Nigerian Air Force and warned that the incidents raise serious human rights and humanitarian concerns.
Complaints from geo-political zones
The North-central region recorded the highest number of complaints received in the month under focus, with 120, 659.
It was followed by the North-west with 47,719 cases recorded, the North-east with 50,201, the South-east with 31,210, the South-south with 9,558, and the South-west with 9,440. Despite a shift in the overall numbers, the ranking of complaints across all zones remained identical to the previous month.
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The commission listed the top 10 states with the highest number of violations. Similar to April’s list, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Imo, Sokoto, Bauchi and Kogi states were ranked as the locations with the most recorded violations in May.
Cumulatively, complaints from the top 10 states accounted for 74 per cent of the complaints the NHRC received.
In May, 2,123 women complained of domestic violence, 75 complained of sexual violence and 18 of rape.
The NHRC recorded child abandonment as the top child’s right violation, followed by child caught in custody battles, and sexual abuse.
The commission also reported resolving 3,560 cases, a 115.63 per cent increase from April’s 1,651 resolved complaints.
It also reported visiting 107 custodial centres, police stations and places of detention. They also summoned the police 32 times and visited the military twice.
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