ABUJA (SUNDIATA POST)- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has strongly condemned the recent incidents of extrajudicial killings in Delta, Kwara and Sokoto, calling for accountability from both Police and military personnel involved in such actions.
The Commission made the call while presenting its Dashboard report/data for December 2024 on Tursday at the Abuja Headquarters.
While presenting the report, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna said for the month of November, the NHRC highlighted the case of a teenage boy killed by a police officer in Delta State over a fireworks, as well as the death of 35-year-old Jimoh Abdulkadir, who died as a result of torture by police in Kwara State.
Though the Commission acknowledged that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has already intervened in the case of Abdulkadir, it urged continued efforts to hold accountable the officers responsible for these abuses.
The NHRC also condemned the bombing of civilians in Sokoto State by the military and called for those responsible to be held accountable. In a separate incident, a soldier in Hukuba Barracks, Jos, stabbed a tricycle operator, leading to his death. The Commission also called on the military hierarchy and the commanding officer to ensure justice is served in this case as well.
The NHRC emphasized the importance of holding security personnel to the highest standards of accountability and urged both the police and military forces to take decisive action in addressing these violations.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu SAN, noted that over the past year, the NHRC has worked tirelessly to fulfil its mandate of monitoring, investigating, and addressing human rights concerns across the country. Stressing that the monthly Dashboard on Human Rights Assessment in Nigeria is a major flagship through which the Cpmmission is fulfilling this sacred mandate.
He also assured that the Commission remains resolute in its mission to safeguard the rights and uphold the dignity of Nigerians.
Ojukwu hinted that the presentation is not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts. “The data we present demands innovative solutions, strengthened partnerships, and a collective resolve to address the human rights challenges in our country. Working together and pririotising human rights in government policies and programmes, we can make 2025 a major turning point in our quest to becoming a leading nation where no man or woman is oppressed or left behind. Together, let us continue to champion the values of dignity, justice, and equality for all Nigerians, he said.
The E.S commended Nigerians for bringing up their complaintd to the Commission.
Also in her goodwill message, the representatives of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR), Esther Sawa said the Dashboard helps to bring accountability to the works of the Commission and commended the deployment of the Dashboard. She noted that it has improved the reporting of human right abuses.
Sawa assured that the OHCSR will continue to support the NHRC and its works.