The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised the alarm over an unprecedented spike in human rights violations across Nigeria, disclosing that it recorded a staggering 1,485,307 complaints in the first half of 2025 alone.
The commission’s Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hilary Ogbonna, made the revelation on Monday during the presentation of NHRC’s monthly dashboard report for June. He described the figure as the highest ever recorded in the history of the commission.
“This is our highest in the history of this commission. We are also happy that, as of June 30, we have resolved 20,000 cases. We can do more if we receive more support,” Ogbonna said.
He noted that resolving human rights cases is resource-intensive and urged the government to increase funding for the commission. “It takes a lot of finance to resolve one conflict,” he stressed, while commending the government’s current level of support.
Ogbonna further disclosed that in June alone, the NHRC completed 6,000 investigations, conducted 78 monitoring visits to correctional centres and detention facilities, and issued 46 letters and summonses to the Nigeria Police Force in connection with various complaints.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu (SAN), expressed concern over the escalating insecurity in the country, particularly the frequent attacks on security personnel and civilians.
“In Kaduna and Niger States, more than 17 soldiers were killed in coordinated attacks, further destabilising already fragile regions,” Ojukwu said.
He also lamented the massacre of over 40 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Ruggar Chida, describing it as a devastating blow to grassroots security structures.
“Their deaths leave a void in local security structures, rendering civilians even more exposed to further violence,” he said.
Ojukwu warned that insecurity on Nigerian highways had worsened significantly, with over 50 individuals abducted in recent incidents along transit routes in Kogi and Benue States.
“These abductions inflict lasting trauma on victims and their families while further eroding public trust in the safety of our roads,” he said, noting that the pattern of attacks reflected “impunity, fear, and systemic failure.”
The NHRC boss revealed that 327,154 of the total complaints were received in June alone, a sharp rise that he said underscored the growing scale of human rights abuses nationwide.
He urged the government to take swift, coordinated action to stem the tide of violence and insecurity. “To civil society and the media, we urge sustained advocacy and amplification of these issues,” he added.
According to Ojukwu, the NHRC dashboard must not only serve as a record of national tragedies but should also spark “meaningful and sustainable change” in the country’s human rights and security landscape.
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