BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) on Friday said it received a total of of 414,199 reports of rights violations for the months of July and August, 2024.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu who gave the figures during the August Edition of the Dashboard on Human Rights, said 185,651 was recieved in July while 228, 549 was received in August.
Dr. Ojukwu, represented by Ben Agu, a Director with the Commission, in his welcome address, said the major issue of rights violations during the period was the protest held between 1-10, August 2024 which he said led to the loss of several lives, over 1, 300 persons arbitrarily arrested, held beyond legal time limits and some dragged to court charged with treason, among other charges.
In his presentation, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, pointed out an astronomical rise in rights violations in areas that do not previously experience such attacks with Sokoto the major source of worry in the country at the moment given the rising activities of bandits.
The Commission noted attacks on the media, which he said is the 4th arm of government, the 4th estate of the realm, and expressed displeasure at rights violations of the mainstream journalists and bloggers.
The NHRC said other areas of rights violations are attacks on security officials and infrastructure, domestic violence, against women, gender based violence, rape, child abandonment, among others.
On child abandonment, the Commission said over 4, 200 children were abandoned in the months of July and August probably resulting from the economic situation of the country and such children will suffer neglect, lack of education, and among other rights they are supposed to enjoy while calling on government to address the economic factors triggering the situation.
On the protests, the NHRC said it had issued an advisory ahead of the public demonstrations but it went largely unheeded and frowned at law enforcement management of the protests which he said has constitutional backing and is not illegal
The Commission urged governments at all level and law enforcement agencies to be proactive in the management of protests and prepare adequately ahead of it rather than spending more time trying to prevent it.
The Commission also frowned at rights violations by non-state actors which he said led to attacks on police and the military, noting that such attacks on security infrastructure leaves the people more prone to attacks by criminals, bandits, kidnappers and terrorists.
On regional bases, the Commission said complaints were more prevalent in the North Central and South Sout in July but the figures changed in August with the North East and North Central having more, respectively.
It said freedom of Religion is also becoming worrisome despite the fact that the country protects two other basic rights which is that of freedom of Conscience and Thought.
Dr. Ojukwu, has earlier in his welcome address pointed out the issues of flood which he said is currently ravaging parts of the country and consequent rights violations being suffered by the people who have been displaced from thier homes.
