National Human Rights Commission says s the urge in reported cases of abuse – including the abandonment of 1,667 children – is unsettling and alarming but not unexpected.

A total of 106,604 cases of human rights abuses, including the abandonment of 1,667 children, were recorded in Nigeria in June – but the actual figure could be a lot higher as many rights violations are not reported.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said this was the highest number of violations recorded in the past six months.

Dr Tony Ojukwu, the NHRC’s executive secretary, said the increase in human rights abuses “is unsettling but not unexpected, given the current situation in the country”.

Ojukwu was speaking at the commission’s sixth dashboard meeting held at its headquarters in Abuja on Monday, July 8.

He attributed the surge in complaints to growing awareness among citizens.

“For the month of June, we have received an unprecedented number of 106,604 complaints. This increase is disturbing but not unexpected. This is a positive development and a testament to the concerted efforts of all stakeholders.”

He said the increase in reported complaints underscored the impact of targeted interventions and collaborative efforts in protecting the rights of vulnerable populations.

He urged state governors to take responsibility for protecting the fundamental rights of citizens and emphasised the need for collaboration with traditional rulers and civil society organisations (CSOs) to combat human rights violations.

He emphasised the need for the NHRC’s monthly dashboard meetings, saying they were important because they enabled the commission to identify key trends and issues in communities.

Ojukwu said the increase in reported cases of child abuse, domestic violence, rapes and kidnappings was disturbing.

He highlighted the need to protect women and girls.

He condemned the killing of 19 security personnel in June, saying the survival and security of the country depended on the wellbeing of security operatives and killing them posed a serious threat to the entire nation.

However, he enjoined law enforcement officers to refrain from taking laws into their hands and to always respect the rules of engagement. He said those responsible for the human rights violations “must be brought to justice so as to ensure that no innocent person suffers”.

Ojukwu said it was necessary for duty bearers to redouble their efforts to protect and support internally displaced persons (IDPs) so that they could rebuild their lives in dignity.

Displaced people were victims of circumstance, such as the insurgency in the northeast, natural disasters and harsh economic conditions.

They needed adequate protection and support to survive in an environment that often exposed them to different forms of human rights violations.

Ojukwu said the commission would continue to use its platform to create awareness on the maltreatment of older adults.

People should desist from financial abuse and exploitation of the elderly as they violated older people’s rights to security, dignity and independence, he said.

Hillary Ogbonna, the senior human rights adviser to the NHRC, provided a breakdown of the reported violations.

The north central region of the country recorded the highest number of violations (29,462), followed closely by the south south region (21,603). The southwest, northwest, northeast and southeast regions also reported significant numbers of abuses.

He described the 1,667 cases of child abandonment as “alarming” and highlighted child rights as a critical issue.

“For children who are facing the issues of right to survival and development, they are also likely to face other and serial human rights issues, including child marriage, child labour, sexual abuse, right to education being abridged and finally abandonment.”

Maiduguri-based human rights activist Abdullahi Usman told RNI that considering the reality on the ground, the number of reported cases of human rights violations did not come as a shock.

In fact, he said, human rights violations were underreported and the actual number was “probably a lot higher”.

“The reports were made public after thorough research and I’m sure they followed due process to get the figures right from the source. We salute that, but we believe the figures to be much higher.

“Beyond releasing the cumulative figures, the concerns are what action to take and where to start. The commission should at least provide guidance on how to reduce rights violations. This is crucial.

“Releasing the results is a good move, but what measures are they putting in place to protect human rights?

Usman said that ending human rights abuse was “challenging”.

“For example, if this month’s reported cases are 10, the goal should be to reduce it to at least five the next month. The commission needs to continue efforts to drastically reduce the figures over time.

“If the numbers aren’t decreasing, the NHRC needs to reassess and identify the problems and come up with a clear plan on how to mitigate the menace.

“We expect the commission to come up with a realistic solution not just talking about the problems. Although that is a good start, it is not enough.”

Usman said human rights violations were common in the education-poor northern region of the country where many people were ignorant of their fundamental rights.

“Violations are common in the northern region. You even see it on the roads. If you try to explain the violation, many people fight back and insist they are in the right. They just do not know what their fundamental human rights are.

“People’s rights are being violated everywhere, including in learning institutions, IDP camps, on the streets, on public transport, in health institutions, at work and in marketplaces.

“And the annoying part of it is that sometimes the abuser who is committing the violation does not even know that what he or she is doing is an abuse of human rights. Sometimes even the victim does not realise that his or her rights are being violated.

“When you point it out, they think you are the one who is violating their rights. They think you are the problem.”

He urged the NHRC to use its platform to raise awareness about human rights violations and to educate people on their rights and the processes to follow when their rights are violated.

“It is imperative that ordinary people know what their fundamental human rights are, as well as the consequences of violating those rights.

“Education should start at primary school level. That way, people will have a thorough understanding of human rights and their importance,” Usman said.

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI