The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised serious concerns over the escalating rate of human rights violations in Nigeria, disclosing that it received a staggering 275,256 complaints in May 2025 alone.
The Commission also officially launched its Quarterly Dashboard on Internal Displacement and Human Rights in Nigeria, the first of its kind in the nation’s history.
Speaking during the presentation of the May 2025 Human Rights Situation Dashboard in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, described the volume of complaints as a clear signal that “too many Nigerians feel unprotected, unheard, and unseen.”
“The dashboard forces us to confront the reality of what many Nigerians go through daily. Behind every figure is a human life someone seeking safety, justice, or even just recognition. What’s most concerning is the normalization of this distress. People no longer expect redress or accountability. This is a dangerous place for any society,” Dr. Ojukwu warned.
The Commission drew particular attention to the Mokwa floods in Niger State, which led to the deaths of over 200 people, with many more still missing. The floods displaced thousands, further compounding the challenges faced by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country. Dr. Ojukwu noted that the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria is worsening, with IDPs facing violations of their rights to safety, dignity, healthcare, and livelihood.
As part of efforts to track and address these issues, the NHRC launched its Quarterly Dashboard on Internal Displacement and Human Rights in Nigeria, covering February to April 2025. The dashboard, developed in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), provided data on IDPs, refugees, returnees, and asylum seekers and aims to call attention to the human rights issues affecting these populations.
The displacement dashboard was presented by Mr. Ben Agu, Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, while the May 2025 Human Rights Situation Dashboard was presented by Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, Special Adviser to the Executive Secretary on Human Rights.
According to the report, over 40,000 displacements were recorded during the reporting period, along with 1,460 human rights complaints from displaced populations in 34 Local Government Areas across 11 states. The NHRC acknowledged the support of its field monitors and local partners who contributed to the data gathering.
The event was attended by representatives from UNICEF, CISLAC, UNHCR, and other stakeholders who commended the NHRC’s commitment to transparency, data-driven advocacy, and accountability.
In a significant move to promote inclusivity, the NHRC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Ability Life Initiative (TALI), a non-governmental organization advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. Dr. Ojukwu emphasized that although Nigeria has passed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 and ratified the African Disability Protocol, the reality for over 35 million Nigerians living with disabilities remains challenging.
“This MoU with TALI is our way of reaffirming that persons with disabilities must not be sidelined. They must be protected, empowered, and fully included in all spheres of national life,” he said.
Dr. Ojukwu called on government agencies, civil society, development partners, and the media to use the data in the dashboards not only for information, but also to demand accountability from duty bearers.
“Let this data be a call to action. Let us not see statistics, but people Nigerians who deserve to live free from fear, discrimination, and injustice,” he concluded.
The NHRC reiterated its unwavering commitment to defending human rights and pledged to continue strengthening its monitoring, reporting, and advocacy mechanisms for all vulnerable populations.
