The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued an urgent call for an Independent, impartial investigations and prosecution of those responsible for massive reported killings and abuses across the country, where 570 deaths and 278 kidnappings were reported in April 2025 alone. The Commission stressed the need for strong accountability mechanisms and comprehensive support services for survivors, especially women and children.
The Executive Secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN made this call in Abuja, during the monthly presentation of the human rights dashboard, where he stated that there is an unprecedented surge in human rights violations, warning that the country is faced with a deepening human rights crisis fuelled by widespread violence and displacement. “The killings in Plateau and Benue states, along with resurgent attacks in Borno and Yobe, have left hundreds dead and injured” he said.
In his opening remarks, the learned Silk decried the destruction of lives in the North Central which is the hub for agricultural produce.
He also lamented the situation in the North East, where ethnic and religious tensions have been exacerbated by poverty, poor governance, and inadequate state response. “These atrocities cannot be treated as commonplace. When children are buried in shallow graves, and families are slaughtered in their sleep, the nation must speak with one voice, this is not just a humanitarian crisis—it is a national emergency," he noted.
In April 2025 alone, the Commission received a staggering 261,283 complaints through its Human Rights Observatory, which documented an alarming increase in human rights abuses, particularly in conflict-ridden states such as Benue, Plateau, Borno, and Yobe. The violence, often resulting in mass killings and forced displacement, was described by Ojukwu as the "worst human rights situation in almost a year."
Presenting the April edition of the Human Rights Dashboard, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary highlighted widespread violence, forced displacements, and systemic human rights violations, particularly in conflict-ridden regions. Notable among the atrocities were mass killings in Plateau and Benue States, as well as a resurgence of attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP in Borno State. Hundreds of Nigerians were reportedly killed or injured in these attacks.
In his presentation Mr. Ogbonna revealed the gravity of ongoing human rights abuses, particularly affecting children, women, and law enforcement officers. The dashboard recorded 278 cases of kidnapping, 570 killings, and a staggering 1,121 cases of child abandonment during April.
These figures underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions across sectors to curb the worsening human rights situation in the country.
Mr. Ogbonna highlighted that the April Dashboard recorded an increase of 20% in human rights violations recorded compared to March with Law Enforcement and Human Dignity having the highest followed closely by Freedom from Discrimination and Right to life.
The North Central region also witnessed a high number of complaints totalling 93,091 making it the most affected zone in this category. Followed closely by North West with 54,051 complaints, North East 28,417 and South West 40,310.
On the issues of killings and insecurity, the dashboard notes that 7 security and law enforcement agents were killed in April, highlighting the risks faced by those tasked with maintaining order. A pie chart analysis shows civilians bore the highest brunt of killings, followed by insurgents and unknown actors.
Looking at the chart women related violence, sexual and gender-based violence remains a significant issue, with 6,325 cases of domestic violence and 1,125 rape cases reported This has prompted calls for more effective enforcement of protective laws and support services for victims of human rights violations.
