THE NATIONAL Human Rights Commission (NHRC) received a total of 275,256 complaints in the month of May 2025, says Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN), its Executive Secretary.
He disclosed this during the presentation of the May dashboard report on human rights violations.
The complaints covered a wide range of issues, including violent attacks in the North East, increasing cases of sexual violence, and mass displacement due to natural disasters.
Dr. Ojukwu expressed concern over the alarming number of Nigerians seeking the commission’s intervention, stating: “When over a quarter of a million people turn to the National Human Rights Commission in just one month, the message is clear: too many Nigerians feel unprotected, unheard, and unseen.”
He warned against the normalization of such distress, noting that it undermines expectations of justice and accountability.
Highlighting recent tragedies, he pointed to the devastating floods in Mokwa, Niger State, which claimed over 200 lives, with many still missing.
“This underscores the urgent need for coordinated disaster preparedness and response strategies,” he said.
The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria has been further aggravated by the challenges faced by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Ojukwu noted that IDPs across the country suffer from inadequate shelter, poor healthcare access, and a lack of basic amenities.
To address these issues, the NHRC, in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), launched a quarterly Dashboard on Human Rights and Internal Displacement in Nigeria.
The dashboard monitors and compiles data on affected populations. Between February and April, the commission documented over 40,000 displacements and 1,460 complaints from IDPs, refugees, returnees, and asylum seekers.
Ojukwu commended the UNHCR, the UN System in Nigeria, local partners, and Human Rights Monitors across 34 local government areas in 11 states for their support.
“As we present these dashboards today, let us remember that behind each complaint is a Nigerian citizen yearning for justice. Let this data not merely reflect our failures but serve as a call to action,” he urged.
