National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday, said it received over 2 million complaints in a year.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, SAN who disclosed this in Abuja while speaking at a national legislative forum on human rights said, the Commission was established by the National Human Rights Act of 1993 to protect all human rights in Nigeria.
He said the NHRC which has the mandate of promoting, protecting, and enforcement of human rights has been working tirelessly to achieve the goal, which is partly why the legislative forum was organised with support from the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) as part of activities marking the international human rights week.
Ojukwu said the Commission has developed a national action plan for the promotion and protection of human rights, adding also that, “We also have a national action plan for business and human rights, and has created a compliant treatment mechanism comprising four dedicated departments working tirelessly in all 36 states across Nigeria.
“The Commission is committed to addressing the ever-increasing human rights conflict. We receive over 2 million complaints a year and that is mind-boggling. It is important to mention that the complete profile of the commission has since crossed the 2 million mark.
“In the discharge of the mandate of the Commission, we were mediated by law to explore partnership and deepen human rights culture in this country”, he said and added that the Commission worked closely with various stakeholders including government, civil society organisations, international organisations and various committees in the National Assembly and State Assemblies to promote human rights and rule of law and to mainstream human rights into legislations across the country.
“As part of our mandate, the Commission is asked to review policies, draft bills, and laws to ensure that they align with human rights principles. This legislative forum is, therefore, a strategic initiative that enables us to fulfill this mandate, and by engaging with the lawmakers and stakeholders.
“We aim to integrate human rights norms into the legislative processes, ultimately promoting a culture of respect for human rights in the area.
In his speech, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Sen. Adeniyi Adegbomire, SAN said, democracy can not be achieved without human rights and that the suggestions at the forum should be forwarded to the House of Assembly for necessary action.
He said, the National Assembly is considering various amendments to the constitution and added that it is the law that directs what fundamental human rights are.
Adegbomire told participants at the forum that, in the amendments to the constitution, the National Assembly will ensure that every Nigerian will have a sense of belonging.
Also speaking, the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Mudashiru Lukeman, who represented the chairman of the committee, Dr Abiola Makinde, lamented lack of funding to the Commission and promised to push for improved funding for the NHRC for a better result.
He said, during the oversight visit of his committee to the Commission, it was discovered that the Commission is grossly underfunded and promised that the funding that will be allocated to the Commission in the 2025 budget will be far better than what it got this year.
“I want to say it here, boldly, that 2025 budget will not be like the past one,” he said.
