By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Anthony Ojukwu, has been elected Vice-President of the African National Preventive Mechanisms Network (ANPMN), marking a significant milestone for Nigeria’s human rights advocacy on the continent.
Ojukwu was elected on June 26, 2026, during the Fourth Annual Conference of the ANPMN held in Kigali, Rwanda.
The conference, themed “Women and Children in Detention: Gender-responsive and Child-sensitive National Preventive Mechanism Approaches,” coincided with the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, underscoring Africa’s renewed commitment to preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
The National Human Rights Commission announced Ojukwu’s election in a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed made available to Precise Post in Abuja on Monday.
According to the Commission, Ojukwu’s emergence as Vice-President of the continental network is a testament to his outstanding leadership in the prevention of torture and reflects the growing recognition of the NHRC’s efforts in promoting preventive monitoring and safeguarding the rights of persons deprived of their liberty.
The Commission noted that the election also demonstrates the confidence reposed in Nigeria’s National Preventive Mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture (OPCAT), as well as the country’s increasing contributions to regional human rights initiatives.
The newly elected Steering Committee of the African National Preventive Mechanisms Network is headed by Commissioner Philile Ntuli of the South African Human Rights Commission as President, while Chief Anthony Ojukwu will serve as Vice-President. Other members of the Steering Committee are representatives from Morocco, Rwanda, Mozambique, Mali, Senegal and Mauritania.
The ANPMN is the continental platform for National Preventive Mechanisms established under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture. The network serves as a strategic forum for strengthening preventive monitoring of places of detention, promoting the exchange of best practices, enhancing technical cooperation among African National Preventive Mechanisms, and advancing torture prevention across the continent. Its permanent secretariat is based in Rabat, Morocco.
The NHRC said Ojukwu’s election further reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to advancing human rights, preventing torture, and strengthening collaboration with other African institutions dedicated to protecting the dignity of persons in detention.
