Human and Community Rights Centre (HCRC) Blog

  Nigeria has been ranked among the ten worst countries in the world for violations of workers’ rights, alongside Bangladesh, Belarus, Ecuador, Egypt, Eswatini, Myanmar, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Türkiye. This ranking was disclosed in the 2025 edition of the Global Rights Index published by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which warns that workers’ rights are deteriorating globally at an alarming rate. According to the report, workers’ rights are in a state of decline across all continents, with Europe and the Americas recording their poorest performances since the Index was first introduced in 2014. Only seven countries now retain a top rating of ‘1’—the highest level of respect for labour rights—compared to 51 countries rated either ‘5’ or ‘5+’, indicating a grave disregard for such rights. The ITUC warns that if the current trajectory continues, no country may hold the top rating within the next decade. Three of the five global regions assessed in the Inde...

The Anambra State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ibadin Judith-Chukwu, has said human trafficking in the state is assuming an increasingly alarming dimension. Judith-Chukwu also expressed worry over a disturbing trend in the state, where young people are now cohabiting by mutual consent solely to produce babies for sale. Speaking in an interview with journalists in her office in Awka, on Saturday, she said NAPTIP, as an agency saddled with the responsibility, has performed fairly well by establishing state task forces to curb human trafficking in the rural areas, where it is most prevalent. Judith-Chukwu, lamented that the sale of babies is more prevalent in rural communities, emphasised the need for widespread public enlightenment, particularly among residents of remote areas. The NAPTIP Commander further stated that both the agency and the task force are committed to informing and educating the public about the deceptive tactics used b...

The Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Chief of Defence Staff to produce Prof. Arthur Ekpekpo, the detained President-General of the Ewu Kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, at the next court sitting. Presiding Judge, Justice H.A. Ngajiwa, issued the directive on Monday, during proceedings in the bail application filed on behalf of Ekpekpo by the Okuama community. Ekpekpo, along with Mr. Julius Oghoroko, Mr. Bernard Esegba, and others, was arrested in 2024 in connection with the killing of 17 soldiers who were reportedly on a peacekeeping mission in Okuama community — a case that has drawn national attention and controversy. Counsel for the detained community leader, Dr. Jonathan Ekperusi, filed a motion on notice seeking his release on bail, arguing that his continued detention violates his rights and that the circumstances warrant judicial intervention. In ruling on the application, the court ordered...

  In a proactive step to uphold human rights and foster justice, the Cross River State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Remi O. Ajuga, successfully facilitated the release of five detainees during a routine audit at the Yakurr Divisional Police Headquarters in Ugep. The monitoring visit, which took place on Friday, 13 June 2025, formed part of the Commission’s ongoing audit of detention centres as part of its mandate to ensure the protection of human rights across the country. During the exercise, the NHRC team conducted a thorough profiling of the nine male detainees in custody, assessing both their legal status and the overall conditions within the detention facility. Findings revealed that five of the detainees qualified for administrative bail, in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and other applicable legal frameworks. Following the Commission’s recommendations, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) prompt...

  Across Nigeria, children continue to grapple with profound challenges that threaten their fundamental rights to survival, protection, and development. In light of this, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on the Nigerian government to rouse itself from its apparent inertia, while urging citizens to actively demand accountability to ensure the full realisation of children’s rights. Speaking at a media dialogue held in commemoration of the 2025 Day of the African Child, Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of UNICEF in the South-West region, highlighted how inadequate and inefficient budgeting remains a major obstacle to the advancement of children’s welfare in the country. “Budgeting for children ought not to be treated as an isolated or secondary task,” Lafoucriere stated. “It must be integrated into the core planning framework for Nigeria’s population, and it must be informed by reliable data—data that pinpoints where the most vulnerable children are and identifies their...

  The police in Enugu State have detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka area of the state for allegedly assaulting residents. Daniel Ndukwe, the state police spokesperson, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that police operatives arrested the suspects on 23 June, with the assistance of members of the community. The suspects’ arrest was linked to the alleged physical assault of residents by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on 22 June, as seen in a viral video. "The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them. The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene. However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said. Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said that the Commissioner of Police in Enugu, Mamman Giwa, has ordered an investigation into ...