Human and Community Rights Centre (HCRC) Blog

  The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating torture and upholding human rights across all detention and law enforcement institutions, in line with both domestic laws and international obligations. Delivering a keynote address yesterday at a sensitisation workshop organised for law enforcement agencies in Abuja, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. B.E. Jedy-Agba, underscored the urgent need for institutional reforms to end torture and inhumane treatment in detention facilities nationwide. Delivering a keynote address yesterday at a sensitisation workshop organised for law enforcement agencies in Abuja, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. B.E. Jedy-Agba, underscored the urgent need for institutional reforms to end torture and inhumane treatment in detention facilities nationwide. “This gathering is not merely a formality; it is a testament to our...

  The Imo State Police Command has warned operatives over the long detention of suspects, saying abuse of the people’s rights will not be tolerated. The state Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, gave the warning on Sunday during a press statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye. The police boss warned that the command would no longer tolerate unlawful phone searches, extortion, harassment, and other forms of rights violations, particularly against youths. “The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has issued a firm directive warning officers and men of the command against unlawful phone searches, extortion, harassment, and other forms of rights violations, particularly against youths. “He emphasised that shuttle buses must not be used for patrols anywhere in the state. Complaints of harassment, intimidation, and extortion linked to such practices will be thoroughly investigated, and erring officers sanctioned. “CP Danjuma fur...

  The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International have called on President Bola Tinubu to instruct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to withdraw the charges filed against activist Omoyele Sowore, as well as against the owners of X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. The charges reportedly stem from Sowore’s alleged critical and “anti-Tinubu” posts on these platforms. The two organisations also urged the President to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) and other law enforcement bodies to desist from misusing the judicial system to suppress public criticism through Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and other forms of harassment. Furthermore, SERAP and Amnesty asked the Attorney General to draft and present to the National Assembly a bill on anti-SLAPP legislation. Such a law, they argued, would protect Nigerians from the weaponisation of the justice system and s...

  Meanwhile, the Network Against Corruption and Anti-Drug Trafficking (NACAT) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of journalist and anti-corruption activist Fejiro Oliver, who was arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force. In a statement issued on Saturday, NACAT’s Operational Manager, Stanley Ugagbe, condemned Oliver’s arrest as unlawful, unconstitutional, and politically motivated. Oliver, who also chairs NACAT, was reportedly arrested in Abuja on Thursday, 18 September 2025, and flown to Delta State without explanation. He is presently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Asaba, where he is detained alongside suspected kidnappers and other hardened criminals. “Oliver is not a criminal. He is a fearless journalist, whistleblower, and anti-corruption advocate whose work has exposed high-level graft, abuse of office, and organised crime across Nigeria. This crude attempt to silence him is a direct assault on civil liberties, ...

  Nigerian journalist and publisher of Media Room Hub, Azuka Ogujiuba, has narrated her harrowing experience in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) after honouring an invitation from the authorities. In a letter dated June 17, 2025, and signed by Moses Jolugbo of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Investigation Unit, Ogujiuba was informed that her name had surfaced in an ongoing investigation, making her clarification necessary. She was directed to appear before the unit on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at its Abuja office, opposite Force Headquarters. The invitation, the letter stated, was issued pursuant to Section 53(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2025. Her ordeal reportedly stemmed from the publication of a court order by her platform in connection with a contentious land transaction. Years earlier, Capital Gardens had acquired four hectares of land from Oretol Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Adewale Oladapo, popularly known a...

  The detention of a journalist in Kebbi State has sparked outrage after he published a video exposing deplorable conditions at Kangiwa General Hospital. The journalist, Hassan Mai-Waya Kangiwa, was reportedly arrested on the orders of Governor Nasiru Idris following the release of footage showing patients lying on bare metal frames without mattresses. The video, which quickly went viral on social media, provoked widespread criticism of the state’s healthcare system. Human rights advocates and pro-democracy groups have condemned the arrest, describing it as an attempt to silence truth-telling rather than address systemic failures. Dan Bello, a human rights campaigner, described the action as “a new wave of tyranny” and demanded Kangiwa’s immediate release. Similarly, the Take It Back Movement, an advocacy group for accountability and transparency, lambasted the governor’s actions. In a post on X, the group declared:  “Governor Nasiru Idris has detained journalist Hassan Mai-Wa...

  Stakeholders have expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria, warning that unless urgent measures are taken, the scourge will continue to erode the rights, health, and opportunities of millions of women and girls. They urged Nigerian authorities to end all forms of tolerance for violence, stressing that such complacency fuels the alarming rise in GBV. The call was made in Abuja during the Men’s 2025 Summit, organised by YouthHubAfrica in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, to address the growing menace of GBV across the country. Participants argued that violence has been normalised in homes for far too long, creating a culture that perpetuates abuse. The forum further pressed for concrete commitments from men and women to amplify advocacy efforts nationwide through direct engagement and state-level virtual hubs. Such commitments, they said, are vital to reframing the fight against GBV as a collective mission for a just and equal...

The Nigerian government has yet to respond to a damning United Nations report, accusing multinational oil companies operating in the country of treating the Niger Delta as “an experiment for divestment without clean-up.” Civil Society Groups stated that the silence is not just disappointing — it is dangerous. It signals either a profound disregard for the rights of Nigerian citizens or complicity in their continued suffering.  Over 20 civil society groups, including Amnesty International and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, say the federal government’s silence amounts to a betrayal of millions of Niger Deltans enduring decades of environmental devastation. The Polluter Pays Project, a not-for-profit organisation that works to ensure that oil and gas companies clean up their mess, stated that the UN experts made their position known in letters addressed to Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies. The experts also extended the letters to host governments of the mul...

Amnesty International has called on Shell and other oil companies to responsibly divest themselves of assets and operations in a way that respects human rights and the environment.  Amnesty International Nigeria’s Director, Isa Sanusi said just because Shell recently sold its Nigerian subsidiary, it does not absolve the company of responsibility for its past actions. He said Shell remains responsible for cleaning up and remediating historic oil pollution despite divestment. “Amnesty International has researched and campaigned on the issue of oil pollution in Nigeria since the 1990s. The UN Special Rapporteurs have concurred with our finding that the repeated oil spills in the Niger Delta amount to violations of human rights. “For every rights violation, there must be a remedy. Shell and other companies responsible for oil spills in the region must therefore clean up affected areas and compensate local communities for the decades of harm caused by those violations,” he also stated. ...

  The Democracy Watch Initiative (DWI) has called on the Federal Government to launch a formal investigation into alleged human rights violations committed during the tenure of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, between 2015 and 2023. In a statement issued on Sunday, the group’s Director of Strategic Communication, Dr. Tunji Bamidele, said the probe was necessary to secure justice for victims of violence and repression during that period. He cited major incidents including the Zaria Shiite massacre, the Kajuru killings, and the demolition of properties belonging to political opponents, describing them as “a troubling legacy where the quest for power was placed above the protection of citizens’ rights.” “In light of these alarming violations, we call upon the Federal Government to take decisive action by prosecuting those responsible for these atrocities,” Bamidele declared. He also urged international human rights organisations to support ongoing efforts to ensure accoun...

  The International Human Rights Commission – Relief Fund Trust (IHRC-RFT), Nigeria chapter, has expressed grave concern over Governor Dauda Lawal’s recent outcry on the escalating insecurity in Zamfara State. In a statement signed by the Country Director, Ambassador Abdulahi Bakoji, the organisation described as distressing the revelation that, despite credible intelligence on the movements of bandits, security operatives could not act without clearance from higher authorities. “This is not merely a security issue, but a moral and humanitarian crisis that demands urgent collective action,” the statement read. Bakoji further appealed to religious leaders across faiths to rise above divisions and speak with sincerity, reminding both leaders and citizens of the inevitability of death and accountability before Almighty God. Meanwhile, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a security analyst and former governorship candidate in Zamfara, urged security agencies to act decisively against banditry...

The Nigerian Bar Association, Yenagoa Branch on Thursday the 4th September, 2025 issued a press statement condemning the assault and dehumanizing treatment of one Miss Nancy by some female friends as seen in a viral video on social media. The Chairman of NBA Yenagoa Branch C.B. Kekemeke Esq. noted that the NBA has watched with utter shock and deep concern the viral video circulating on social media depicting the cruel and degrading act of some female friends, led by one "Kadi", who stripped one of their friends, Miss Nancy naked, subjected her to humiliation, and violated her dignity as a human being. Mr. Kekemeke stated that “The barbaric and reprehensible act is not only a violation of her fundamental rights to dignity and integrity of the human person as guaranteed under section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Article 5 and 6 African Charter on Human and People's Right (Ratification and Enforcement Act, Cap. A9 Laws of th...

The son of one of the victims of Asaba massacre, Mr Augustine Nwanze-Maijeh, has appealed to the Federal Government to compensate the death of his father and other families of the victims of Asaba massacre. The Late Augustine Nduka Majeh was killed in the Asaba massacre, which occurred in 1967 during the Nigerian civil war. Speaking shortly after the celebration, one of the sons, Mr Augustine Nwanze-Maijeh, said that his father was a philanthropist who had helped people and the community. He said, “We are remembering our father as we held a posthumous birthday Thanksgiving in his honour. The federal government of Nigeria assassinated my father and left us in pain and hardship. “His passing away brought unimaginable suffering, both physical and psychological, to my decease mother and my siblings. My father’s wealth, both land and property, was confiscated. He has all the documents. We were very young. We have no clue what was happening around us.  “We are using this opportunity to a...

  Activists Decry Worsening Human Rights Situation Human rights activists have expressed deep concern about the deteriorating state of human rights in Nigeria, warning that legal and institutional safeguards are either weak or poorly enforced. They lamented that many of the country’s most dedicated advocates for women, children, and young people are left to fill the gap where the state fails—often struggling to protect vulnerable groups, demand justice for survivors of abuse, and challenge systemic exclusion. “Yet these defenders encounter constant intimidation—from mobs, from laws misapplied against activists, and from the reflex of official silence,” the group observed. “The result is a chilling effect: fewer voices and fewer programmes reaching those in need, and a civic space that continues to shrink when it should be expanding.” Rights activist Ekong Bassey criticised the government’s persistent failure to tackle violations, warning that impunity has become entrenched. “Whenev...

  SERAP Condemns Passport Fee Hike as Violation of Human Rights The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the recent increase in passport fees announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), describing the decision as arbitrary, unlawful, and a breach of citizens’ human rights. The NIS last week declared that, effective from 1 September 2025, Nigerians will be required to pay ₦100,000 for a 32-page passport booklet with five-year validity and ₦200,000 for a 64-page booklet with ten-year validity. This announcement comes less than a year after a similar hike in September 2024. In a letter dated 30 August 2025, signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP warned that the new fees would effectively deny millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians access to passports, thereby unlawfully restricting their constitutional rights. “The unlawfully high fees amount to a discriminatory denial of access...