By Divine Obasesam

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it received a staggering 267,787 human rights complaints across Nigeria in April 2026, raising fresh concerns over worsening insecurity, abuse of authority, gender-based violence and shrinking civic space in the country.

The disclosure was made in Abuja during the presentation of the Commission’s April 2026 Human Rights Situation Dashboard and the signing of an advisory on the protection of civic space and human rights.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu (SAN), said the dashboard serves as a critical accountability mechanism for monitoring the state of human rights across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

According to him, the Commission continues to document troubling patterns of violations, including insecurity, abuse of power, economic hardship, gender-based violence, killings and abductions.

“For April 2026 alone, the Commission recorded 267,787 complaints nationwide, reflecting the harsh realities faced daily by Nigerians,” he said.

Ojukwu stressed that the protection of human rights must always remain paramount, calling for stronger regulations in line with national and international human rights standards.

He also expressed concern over attacks on security personnel, disclosing that five cases involving the killing of armed forces and law enforcement officers were recorded during the period under review.

The NHRC boss noted that the signing of the advisory on protecting civic space was aimed at safeguarding citizens’ freedoms amid growing security pressures and restrictions.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Network of NGOs, Oyebisi Oluseyi, urged stakeholders to work collectively to strengthen democratic values and human rights protections in the country.

In his detailed analysis of the dashboard, Senior Human Rights Adviser to the NHRC, Hillary Ogbonna, said complaints increased marginally in April, while mass killings continued to spread rapidly, particularly in northern Nigeria.

He disclosed that the North Central zone accounted for the highest volume of complaints at 42 per cent, with the FCT contributing 19 per cent and Borno State 13 per cent.

Ogbonna listed the FCT with 35,000 complaints, Benue with 30,000, Borno with 25,000 and Kaduna with 20,000 complaints within the period under review.

On specific violations, he said the Commission documented 423 killings, 327 abductions, 179 cases of child abandonment and 42 cases involving attacks on security operatives.

The adviser further highlighted disturbing incidents of sexual violence against children and religious killings, citing the arrest of a pastor in Nasarawa over alleged defilement of a girl and the killing of 17 worshippers in Benue State.

He also referenced a case in Kwara State where a student allegedly abandoned her baby after delivery at a hospital in Ilorin West.

Stakeholders and participants at the event made recommendations on strengthening civic freedoms and improving the protection of human rights across the country.