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NHRC calls for comprehensive national policy on protection of human rights
The National Human Rights Commission has called for a comprehensive national policy for the protection of human rights in Nigeria.
The executive secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu, made the call in reaction to the recent escalating attacks on both the military and civilian population in some parts of the country.
Mr Ojukwu condoled with the Nigerian military, governments and people of Borno, Niger, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Sokoto, Plateau and other affected states that have borne the brunt of the recent wave of terrorist and armed attacks.
He said the commission was deeply concerned by the escalation, frequency, and geographic spread of the attacks.
He noted that in recent months, the attacks have targeted military formations and civilian communities, as well as places of worship, markets, and public institutions.
He added that this had resulted in significant loss of lives, injuries, destruction of property, and large-scale displacement.
“Particularly troubling are the coordinated assaults on military bases in the North-East, including attacks on formations in Borno, leading to the loss of gallant officers, as well as suicide bombings in civilian areas such as markets and hospitals in Maiduguri.
“Equally alarming are the attacks on rural communities in Niger, Benue, and Kwara, as well as the targeting of worshippers in Kaduna state and the recurring violence in parts of the North-West, including Sokoto state and Plateau.
”We mourn with the families of the brave officers and soldiers who paid the ultimate price in defence of the nation as well as the countless civilians whose lives were cut short, dignity violated, and communities devastated by these acts of terror,” he said.
The NHRC executive secretary noted that the attacks represented a grave and systematic assault on the right to life, dignity, and security of citizens.
He noted that the deliberate targeting of civilians and security personnel by non-state armed groups was unlawful, unjustifiable, and constitutes a gross violation of the most fundamental norms of humanity.
According to him, the commission notes with grave concern that the evolving pattern of violence underscores the urgent need for a more coherent, preventive, and human rights-based national response.
”While the NHRC acknowledges the immense sacrifices and ongoing efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, we must as a nation confront an urgent truth; the protection of civilians cannot remain incidental to security operations; it must be their central objective.
”The NHRC therefore reiterates its call for the immediate development, adoption, and implementation of a comprehensive national policy on the protection of civilians,” he said.
Mr Ojukwu said that such a policy must place human rights at the core of all security responses and prioritise the safety of civilians, especially those in vulnerable rural and conflict-affected communities.
He also said that policy must ensure accountability for violations, whether by state or non-state actors, as well as provide effective remedies, rehabilitation, and support for victims and survivors.
“It must guarantee that military and security operations adhere strictly to the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution and strengthen early warning, community engagement, and civilian protection mechanisms in high-risk areas,” he said.
Mr Ojukwu further said that the policy must ensure that affected populations were not reduced to statistics or collateral damage but recognised as rights-holders whose protection, dignity, and participation were non-negotiable.
According to him, an integrated human rights approach to national security is not a concession to weakness; it is a requirement of law and a foundation for legitimacy.
“Evidence globally demonstrates that sustainable peace and security are only achievable where the state consistently upholds and protects the rights of its people.
“The commission stands in solidarity with the military, affected states, and all communities impacted by this violence.
“We remain committed to working with the federal and state governments, security agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s response to terrorism strengthens, rather than undermines, the human rights framework upon which our democracy rests,” he added.
(NAN)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released $3.9 million from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies and is establishing a continental Incident Management Support Team with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to scale up response efforts to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed this on Monday during an Africa CDC ministerial briefing, saying the national risk level in DRC had been raised to “very high” due to rapid transmission and the absence of vaccines or therapeutics for the rare Bundibugyo strain.
Mr Ghebreyesus said WHO made the decision last Friday following fresh assessments showing increasing transmission risks.
The WHO chief said the organisation was finalising a multi-agency Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan aligned with national response plans for DRC and Uganda, while expanding contact tracing, treatment centres, laboratory capacity and community engagement.
“So far, 101 cases have been confirmed in DRC with 10 confirmed deaths. In Uganda, five cases and one death have been confirmed, linked to cross-border movement,” he said.
According to him, WHO assesses regional risk as high and global risk as low, but warned bordering countries face high risk and should act immediately, according to the latest WHO update report.
He noted that the response had been complicated by insecurity in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where fighting has displaced more than 100,000 people in recent months, worsening an already fragile humanitarian situation.
The WHO boss said that two security incidents at health facilities were reported in the past week, and distrust of outside authorities was hampering community-based interventions, according to the WHO field reports update.
He said building trust in affected communities was now one of the WHO’s highest priorities to improve outbreak response effectiveness and community engagement across affected regions in DRC and Uganda, which is urgently required.
“To address lack of countermeasures, WHO convened interim Medical Countermeasures Network last week and recommended prioritising two monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials,” he said according to WHO emergency response update report.
“The agency is also developing a trial for the antiviral obeldesivir as post-exposure prophylaxis for high-risk contacts in partnership with Africa CDC and the Collaborative Open Research Consortium on filovirus research.
“Discussions are underway with partners on candidate vaccines in the pipeline,” he said.
He said the evaluation of vaccine candidates and strengthening regional preparedness against Ebola outbreaks in DRC and Uganda was currently ongoing
Mr Ghebreyesus said he would travel to the DRC on 26 May with Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, to directly review ongoing response operations.
He also thanked President Yoweri Museveni for cancelling Uganda’s Martyrs’ Day commemoration, which attracted up to two million people, as a preventive measure against further spread of the outbreak.
“We are facing an extremely serious and difficult outbreak. It will get worse before it gets better.
READ ALSO: Ebola: UNICEF raises concern over impact on children in DRC, Uganda
“But we know this virus, and we know how to stop it. With unity under the leadership of the governments of DRC and Uganda, and in close partnership with Africa CDC and all partners, we will stop this outbreak.”
According to him, WHO credited the governments of the DRC and Uganda for leading the response and said it remained fully committed to supporting them.
He urged neighbouring countries to strengthen surveillance, infection prevention and control, and readiness at points of entry to contain further spread.
(NAN)
News
Senator Mwadkwon Urges APC Unity After Primary Victory, Calls for Reconciliation Ahead of 2027 Elections
Former Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon, has urged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to remain united and put aside differences following the party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to journalists at his campaign office in Jos after winning the APC primary election, Mwadkwon described the exercise as a family contest and called on party members to work together for future success.
He said the APC provided him the platform to contest and emerge victorious, noting that he secured over 38,000 votes, while his closest rival received about 4,000 votes.
According to him, the primaries should not create division within the party, stressing that there were neither winners nor losers because the contest was among “brothers and sisters.”
Mwadkwon extended an olive branch to fellow aspirants, encouraging them to set aside grievances and unite in preparation for the 2027 elections.
He also congratulated Governor Caleb Mutfwang on his victory in the APC primary, stating that the governor’s performance reflects broad support across Plateau State.
The former lawmaker cautioned supporters against mocking defeated aspirants or making inflammatory remarks, emphasizing that politics should not breed hostility within the party.
On governance, Mwadkwon said leadership should prioritize humanity above ethnic or religious considerations.
Addressing insecurity in Plateau North, he expressed concern over attacks and displacement in communities such as Bassa and Riyom, while advocating for the creation of state police as a strategy to improve security through community-based policing.
He further highlighted projects executed during his time in the Senate, including classroom construction, solar-powered streetlights, and other development initiatives across Plateau North.
Mwadkwon also maintained that while both direct and indirect primaries have advantages and limitations, popularity and public acceptance should take precedence over financial influence in politics.
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