.North Central tops violation list 

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), yesterday, expressed worry over the rising increase in human rights violations in Nigeria.

The commission’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, represented by Hillary Ogbona, regretted that the North-Central zone topped in rights violations with Abuja having 382 out of 1,147 complaints.

He disclosed that the figures represent only a fraction of rights violations in the country, as a large number of other violations were unreported.

According to him, the North West has the highest number of domestic violence in the country. Domestic violence, he said, included wife battery, rape, child abandonment and assault.

According to the report, the general human rights violations not reported but captured, include an increase in kidnapping, with children and young people as soft targets.

The Executive Secretary lamented that the situation in Plateau and attacks on traditional institutions, like what happened in Ekiti State, had continued to raise concern for the commission.

“Based on our analysis, 125 kidnapping cases were recorded in January, 56 killings, 22 children kidnapped and 12 children killed”, he said, adding that while 10 children were victims of torture, seven law enforcement officers were killed in January.

Pointing out that NHRC had the mandate to investigate human rights violations in the country, the commission said that Nigeria would continue to face multiple challenges in protection and enjoyment of human rights in view of the rising insecurity.

He said kidnapping and other activities of non-state actors have posed challenges to the enjoyment of human rights across the country.