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NHRC, stakeholders brainstorm over Nigeria’s human rights interventions, challenges in the past four years and way forward
Stakeholders on human rights issues Wednesday converged on Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city to brainstorm on interventions and gains recorded by the country on rights of the people as well as challenges facing the full realization of expected goals.
At the gathering, organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the participants were challenged to take critical look at the alternative report with a view to making inputs as well as to address areas that may not have been captured.
According to Chief Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the Executive Secretary of NHRC, the gathering was a validation meeting which seeks to produce an alternative report to the one the Commission had already prepared in order to have a comprehensive document that would be submitted to the United Nation’s Human Rights Council (UNRRC) in connection with the 4th Circle Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Chief Ojukwu, who holds the national honour of Order of the Federal Republic, OFR, therefore urged participants to feel free to look at issues around the areas earmarked for discussion and make their inputs in order to have a robust document on interventions and gains on human rights issues as well as challenges and the way forward,
He said that the review covers both the past four years and the next four years.
He said- “As you are aware, the UPR mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council is a process that reviews the human rights records of all UN member states. The state-driven process under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council provides opportunity for Nigeria to declare actions she has taken to fulfill her human rights obligations to improve the promotion and protection of human rights in the country.
“Nigeria’s active participation in the 4th review circle will provide the federal government the opportunity to re-asses its constitutional obligations to, on a regular basis, guaranty the welfare and security of the citizenry. This will task government and relevant stakeholders to address root causes of inequalities, conflicts and other structural gaps in the country.”
Ojukwu who was represented at the preliminary stage of the meeting by the Director, Civil and Political Rights, NHRC, A. A Yakubu, told the gathering that the report will provide Nigeria with an agenda for Nigeria to identify its human rights priorities and accelerate the implementation if the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and national development plans.
He said- “The trajectory towards the 4th Circle has achieved significant milestone considering Nigeria’s active participation since the inception of the UPR process in 2008. At inception, Nigeria expressed assurances as encapsulated in her statement of commitment to submit herself to the UPR mechanism and corporate fully with the Human Rights Council, non-members as well as regional organisations and civil societies, make the Human Rights Council a credible, strong, fair and effective UN Human Rights body.”
According to the Chief Human Rights Officer in Nigeria, the validation meeting, seeks to take a critical look at the alternative report, to ensure its accuracy and relevance towards addressing realities in the country, adding that- “We should scrutinize its content, identify any gaps or areas of concern, and collectively ensure that it represents all the steps that Nigeria has taken to fulfill her international human rights obligations as well as challenges faced by the country.”
While responding to questions by Nationwide Reports, the Director, Civil and Political Rights, NHRC, A. A Yakubu, acknowledged that the Commission ought to have shared the report with stakeholders days before the meeting to enable them study it properly before the day in order to make well informed inputs. He however said that the stakeholders were present at all the meetings preparatory to writing the report and were well abreast with the issues being discussed.
Among agencies and non-governmental organizations represented at the meeting include the Federal Ministries of justice, Interior and Women Affairs. Also represented are Legal Aid Council, NEMA, NAPTIP, Albino Foundation and many others.
The internal dispute between the Obi/ Kwakwanso support group also known as OK Movement and the leadership of National Democratic Congress, NDC has escalated over the presidential campaign council set up by the movement ahead of the 2027 general election.
Recall that the Movement recently unveiled a 57 member presidential campaign council to work for the Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwakwanso ticket but the NDC issued a statement weekend and disowned the council.
Reacting to the development, the, OK Movement said tt does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes.
The OK Movement National Secretary Saadatu Sani said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Sani rejected a statement credited to the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, urging him to familiarise himself with NDC’s constitution before making assertions.
Sani, in her statement, said the movement recognised the supremacy of political parties within constitutional and statutory spheres, but maintained that it remained an independent organisation with its leadership and internal processes.
She insisted that the movement would campaign for the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates as well as other party candidates where it had resolved to support them.
“The OK Movement does not require the personal validation or approval of any individual before exercising its legitimate organisational functions in accordance with established processes,” she said.
Sani said the movement was established from the grassroots and did not depend on sponsorship from any individual or political office holder for its activities.
She added that the movement was not seeking political appointments or positions within the NDC as a condition for its support, saying its principles remained its guiding values.
She said the movement had developed a nationwide grassroots structure, with internal membership records indicating approximately 2.5 million registered members and coordinators, supported by relevant data.
The leadership of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has disowned the Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, set up by the OK Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This is contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Chairman, Cleopas Moses, on Saturday.
Moses stated that the announcement made by one John Ugulu was not authorised and did not come from the party.
According to him, going forward, no individual or group is authorised to announce, constitute or publish any campaign structure or organ in the name of the party without the approval of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC.
The statement partly read: “The leadership of our party, the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, has noted with concern a publication credited to one John Ugulu, announcing a Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, under the guise of the OK Movement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the party wishes to state categorically as follows: The party hereby dissociates itself in totality from the said OK Movement PCC announcement. It did not emanate from the party and should be disregarded by the public and the media.
“All candidates of the party must appreciate that they are not running as independent candidates. They are products of the party and remain subject to the authority and discipline of the party. Therefore, only the party’s leadership can constitute and announce a PCC.
“No member, candidate or support group should, under any guise, undermine the party or demarcate the party. The party recognises and deeply appreciates the contribution of all support groups and encourages their continued support. We welcome even more support groups who identify with our mission to rescue Nigeria.
“While the party will continue to work collaboratively with all support groups, such groups should not see themselves as alternative party structures or parallel organs of the party.”
News
25 dead bodies recovered as families remain uncertain over fate of 500 residents abducted from Niger communities
25 decomposing bodies belonging to victims of a mass abduction that took place in four communities in Niger state have been recovered.
They were part of residents that were abducted by terrorists Dekara, Kpenya, Sabon-Gida and Gidan-Zana in Borgu Local Government Area.
The bodies were recovered after the communities were reportedly alerted on Monday by the abductors to come and identify and retrieve the bodies.
The victims were said to be among about 500 worshippers abducted after Friday Jumm’at prayers on August 21, 2026.
25 bodies were recovered and later given a mass burial in a nearby bush.
The reported killings have heightened anxiety among families whose relatives remain in captivity, with residents saying they are increasingly uncertain about the fate of the remaining abductees.
A source said the abductors allegedly warned that more captives could be killed if their ransom demands were not met.
“They first asked each family to bring N10 million for each captive, but later reduced it to N5 million. There is no way we can afford it,” he said.
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