NHRC Receives 169,850 Complaints in January Dashboard
…..As ES Queries Our Ability to Prevent Prevent Abuses
Abuja (Core Reporters) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday announced that the commission received 169,850 complaints in the month of January 2025 showing a significant decrease from the previous months.
But, While making his speech at the presentation of January human rights dashboard, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN) wondered if our system as a nation is strong enough to prevent recurring human right abuses.
Dr. Ojukwu noted that the rising wave of human rights violations in Nigeria is no longer just a statistic—it is a national emergency. With 169,850 complaints recorded by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in January 2025 alone, the country is grappling with widespread insecurity, systemic injustices, and an alarming surge in domestic and sexual abuse cases.
He said, while Boko Haram resurges in the North-East, banditry thrives in the North-West, and violence escalates in the South-East, the crisis extends beyond armed conflicts. Victims of sexual violence, domestic abuse, and gender-based crimes are rising at an unprecedented rate, exposing the failures of law enforcement and the justice system.
According to the NHRC’s January 2025 Dashboard, human rights violations persist in multiple forms across the country. The commission emphasized that each complaint represents an individual, a family, or a community suffering injustice, highlighting the critical need for immediate government action.
He said, “Each complaint represents a person, a family, or a community seeking justice, accountability, and relief. While we have made interventions, we must ask ourselves: Are we truly bridging the gap between violations and meaningful remedies?”
He pointed out that While armed conflicts and insecurity dominate headlines, the NHRC report uncovers a growing crisis of sexual and domestic abuse.
“Reports of rape, child molestation, and intimate partner violence have skyrocketed.
Many victims remain silent due to fear, stigma, or lack of legal protection.
Weak prosecution rates mean that perpetrators often walk free, perpetuating a cycle of abuse.
“It’s easy to point fingers—at the government, at the police, at the criminals. But the real enemy here is a failing system that prioritizes political survival over human rights and security.
“The NHRC can document violations, but does it have the power to enforce justice?
Poor intelligence and security coordination: Agencies work in silos rather than as a united front against terrorism and crime.
For every human rights abuse that goes unpunished, a dangerous message is sent: injustice can thrive without consequences.,” Ojukwu said.