The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it recorded 275,256 complaints in the month of May.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, disclosed this at the presentation of the May dashboard report on violations of human rights.
He said that complaints range from brutal attacks in the North East to rising cases of sexual violence and mass displacement caused by natural disasters.
“When over a quarter of a million people turn to the National Human Rights Commission in just one month, the message is loud and clear: too many Nigerians feel unprotected, unheard, and unseen.
“What is most worrying is the normalisation of this distress, where many no longer expect redress or accountability. This is a dangerous place for any society to find itself,” he lamented.
According to Ojukwu, the recent floods in Mokwa, Niger, serve as a tragic reminder of the vulnerability of displaced populations, where over 200 lives were lost and many remain missing.
“This devastation highlights the urgent need for coordinated disaster preparedness and response strategies.
“The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria is further exacerbated by the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“Our collaboration with UNHCR has highlighted the dire conditions faced by IDPs in many parts of the country.
“These individuals endure inadequate shelter, limited access to healthcare, and a lack of basic amenities,” he said.
Ojukwu noted that the affected persons’ rights to safety, dignity, and livelihood are systematically violated.
He said that the scourge of internal and forced displacements in Nigeria led the NHRC to launch a quarterly Dashboard on Human Rights and Internal Displacement in Nigeria.
“This dashboard, which is the highlight of our partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, is aimed at providing monitoring and collation of information/data on the mandate population.
“In the months of February, March and April, the commission recorded over 40,000 displacements and 1,460 complaints from IDPs, refugees, returnees and asylum seekers,” he said.
He expressed appreciation to UNHCR, the UN System in Nigeria and local partners and human rights monitors in the 34 LGAs across 11 states for their contributions.
“As we present these dashboards today, let us remember that behind each complaint is a Nigerian citizen yearning for justice. “Let this data not be a mere reflection of our failures, but a call to action,” he appealed.
