The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has tasked Nigerians, particularly victims of human rights violations to always seek redress in the Commission or the judiciary using the instrumentality of the law, saying that it pays to speak out in the face of injustice, discrimination and other forms of human rights violations.
Executive Secretary of the Commission Tony Ojukwu Esq. stated this in Abuja at a joint press conference organised by the Commission in collaboration with coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria in the wake of a recent Federal High Court judgement in favour of six (6) women raided by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the Police and some other security agencies.
According to Ojukwu who was represented at the occasion by the Director Women and Children, Mr. Harry Obe, “following the raid, the Commission was called upon to exercise its mandate to uphold justice for victims of the raid and to also investigate those culpable of the heinous act and bring them to book”.
The NHRC Boss disclosed that before the recent landmark judgment, the Commission had held sittings and resolved many cases of SGBV in the six geopolitical zones of the country, cutting across the 36 states that of the Federation and the FCT.
He noted that the panel provided remedies and a sort of closure to survivors and victims of this category of human rights violation.
Speaking at the occasion, Kemi Okenyodo, Member of the newly inaugurated Governing Council of the NHRC (representing the coalition of civil society organizations) reiterated her position on the judgement, saying it is a step in the right direction coming after two years the matter was instituted in the court.
“However, the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Evelyn Maha on 5th August 2021, ruled in favour of the 6 women who’s rights were trampled upon by the AEPB, the Nigerian police and other law enforcement agents during the April 26th 2019 Abuja raid.
The court had in the ruling, awarded damages to the victims against the respondents ranging from N2m to N4m naira.
Furthermore, she said the judgement was timely at a period there is call for an end to brutality from security agents, and also to deter erring security operatives from engaging in high handedness when dealing with members of the public.
It will be recalled that on April 26th 2019, a mob of over 100 male state actors invaded clubs, hotels, supermarkets and other centres of business in Abuja to round up women under the guise of arresting sex workers.
