The lawmaker assured the NHRC that the committee would work tirelessly to ensure the passage of critical bills on human rights issues, as well as make adequate budgetary provisions to support the Commission’s work in 2025.
By Raphael Ekpang
Abuja (Core Reporters) In its bid to strengthen human rights protection in Nigeria, the 10th house of representatives led by Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas has promised to pass critical human rights Bills to law including Human Rights Defenders Bill currently in the green chamber.
This was made known on Friday when the Chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Abiola Makinde, represented by his deputy Hon. Mudashiru Lukeman, visited the Commission headquarters in Abuja for oversight.
The lawmaker assured the NHRC that the committee would work tirelessly to ensure the passage of critical bills on human rights issues, as well as make adequate budgetary provisions to support the Commission’s work in 2025.
However, the lawmaker decried inadequate budgetary provision of N5 billion approved for the NHRC in the 2024 budget, saying that considering the widespread human rights violations in the country. Adding that the Committee would push for an increase in the Commission’s budget for 2025.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, commended the lawmakers for their support in the amendment of the NHRC Act 2010. He also appreciated the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, for his role in facilitating the payment of compensation to victims of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Ojukwu further briefed the lawmakers on the Commission’s recent report on human rights violations in counter-insurgency operations in the North East, which he said had helped to prevent Nigeria from being invited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to respond to allegations of human rights infractions.
Core Reporters report that oversight visit was part of the House Committee’s efforts to ensure that the NHRC has the necessary resources and support to discharge its mandate of promoting, protecting, and enforcing human rights in Nigeria.
