Annual Report

PREFACE

In the year 2019, the Commission recorded major milestones in ensuring the promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country. The Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, Esq. actualized the realization of establishing the National Human Rights Commission offices in all the 36 States of the federation including the FCT in order to increase visibility and accessibility of the Commission. Prior to that, the Commission had offices in 24 States. Also the Commission employed and trained 210 staff whose capacities on human rights defence were broadened so as to provide effective response to complaints on human rights violations and abuses.

In the year 2016, the Commission continued to build on its past achievements. The UNHCR and NHRC Protection Monitoring Project which began in 2015, was reviewed and the number of monitors were increased in order to escalate monitoring of the violations faced by IDPs and the affected communities as a result of the insurgency in the North East. Monitors were strengthened with tools to ensure a protective environment. Training activities were also held for relevant actors on human rights standards in the management of IDPs.  In the year under review, the Commission in partnership with development partners and NGOs embarked on a lot of activities geared towards the promotion and protection of human rights. Some of the major activities were- Training of Military Personnel and Students of Army Ordinance School Ojo

The year 2015 was even more tasking than the year before. The North – East Nigeria insurgency by Boko Haram took on an unprecedented increase, so also did conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. The Commission therefore had to restrategize with key Stakeholders on steps to take in constructive response. The ever increasing number of IDPs had serious implications for increasing human rights abuses, therefore, necessitating urgent interventions from the government and human rights community. An outcome of the re-strategizing was NHRC/UNHCR IDP Monitoring Project. The Commission in partnership with the UN High Commission for Refugees undertook a project on Protection and Monitoring of Internally Displaced Persons camps in the North – east, North – Central and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. The Project is on – going and will continue in the coming year.

2014 was a tasking year for the Commission. The escalation of the insurgency in the North East and its attendant human rights implications was a challenge to the NHRC. The Governing Council and management of the Commission strategized on ways to intervene constructively to address some of the key human rights issues which included forced displacement of communities, inquiry into the Apo killings, attacks on schools and abductions / killings of school children in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, attacks on prisons, banks and institutions of democratic governance amongst others. In September 2014, the Commission, released the Apo killings Report to the public.