By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The National Human Rights Commission has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to establish legal aid desks in underserved areas and ensure regular visits by legal practitioners in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states of forcibly displaced persons.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu OFR, SAN, made the call on Monday at the public presentation of the 3rd and 4th Quarters report of the UNHCR/NHRC project partnership on the Protection of Forcibly Displaced Persons (PFDP) Through Human Rights Monitoring in the BAY States held on Monday at the Commission’s Headquarter office in Abuja.
The ES who was represented by Mr Harry Obey said that the project has recorded notable achievements despite facing significant challenges, including the devastating floods that impacted the NHRC office in Borno. He highlighted that nevertheless, their Human Rights Monitors (HRMs) conducted a total of 1,423 visits to detention facilities across the BAY states during the 3rd and 4th quarters. During this visit, 891 individuals were reached in the 3rd quarter and 1, 490 in the 4th quarter, bringing the year’s total to 4,304 individuals reached.
“In the areas of awareness-raising campaign, we engaged 26, 553 individuals in the 3rd quarter and 27,518 in the 4th quarter through visits to camps, host communities, and returnee locations. This brings the yearly total to 54,750 individuals, achieving an impressive 91% of our target of 60,000. These figures demonstrate the dedication of our field teams to ensuring that forcibly displaced persons are not behind, the ES said.
Precise Post recalls that the areas of coverage include; Borno State (Bama, Damboa, Dikwa, Ngala, Gwoza, Pulka, Jere, Maiduguri, Konduga, Mobbar, Monguno)
Adamawa State (Mubi North, Mubi South, Yola North, Yola South, Madagali and Michika)
Yobe State (Damaturu and Gujba).
Also the project outcome are as follows: To ensure that Forcibly Displaced Persons have access to justice
Freedom from arbitrary arrest /detention and arrest other human rights violations
To identify human rights violations/abuses and to ensure they are referred and remedied by stakeholders and/or the Criminal Justice Administration sector.
Furthermore, HRMs identified cases of human rights violations/abuses and provide immediate solutions
Cases not within the mandate of NHRC are referred to relevant UNHCR Partner(s) and/or relevant government agencies.
It was also highlighted that Law enforcement were trained on:
Geneva Conventions 1949 (Fundamental Principles of IHL)
Guiding Principles on the Protection and Assistance to IDPs 1998; Regional Instrument, The kampala Convention 2009, National laws/Policy/ROE/CIMIC.
The challenges encountered are as follows: Continuous need for essential WASH items – soap, disinfectants, and sanitary (dignity) kits, in detention and IDP facilities, compromising hygiene and public health standards.
Erratic power supply affecting report production and other critical operations.
Minimal presence of administrative and judicial institutions such as courts in certain locations, for example, in Pulka and lack of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) representation exacerbating delays in addressing human rights violations, resulting in restricted access to justice for IDPs
Seasonal floods disrupting access to IDP locations and slowing down project activities.
Persistent insecurity e.g. violent attacks by Non-Sate Armed Groups, endangering IDPs, host communities, and project staff.
Delays in security agency responses to emergencies, further aggravating the safety risks for displaced persons.
The lack of trust between IDPs and security personnel, often due to previous violations, complicates collaboration and reporting of incidents.
Inadequate mechanisms to respond swiftly to conflict-related Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases.
Resort to negative coping mechanism such as such as child marriage which violate children’s rights and perpetuate stigma against victims
Deep-rooted biases against displaced persons, hindering reintegration and psychosocial recovery.
The underlisted achievements were recorded: Number of individuals reached through detention monitoring is 4,304 as against 5,000 targeted for the year.
Number of individuals reached through awareness raising on human rights is 54,750 out of 60,000 for the year
Number of individual human rights cases recorded is 3,096 out of the 1,500 targeted for the year.
Managed 2,385 human rights cases out of the 1,500 targeted for the year.
Trained 80 Security Personnel on mainstreaming humanitarian/human rights responses in counter insurgence operations against 80 targeted for the year
Virtual Inception Training for Monitors – on effective reporting /documentation on human rights protection conducted.
Virtual Training on SEA and general human rights monitoring conducted.
The conclusion and consensus were as follows: Prioritize WASH for IDP camps and detention facilities.
NBA to establish legal aid desks in underserved areas and ensure regular visits by legal practitioners.
Advocate for the creation of mobile courts to address justice gaps in hard-to-reach regions.
Partner with relevant stakeholders to implement flood mitigation strategies and improve road infrastructure in remote locations.
Strengthen partnerships with security agencies to ensure timely responses to emergencies and enhance the safety of IDPs and monitoring staff.
Continuous training for security personnel on mainstreaming humanitarian and human rights principles in their operations in the BAY states (under the 2024 project , training was done in Borno and Adamawa States only, and not in Yobe state)
Establish trust-building programs between IDPs and security actors to encourage better collaboration and incident reporting.
On the next line of action, the ES stressed that the Commission is working tirelessly to ensure that there is protection of human rights of Forcibly Displaced Persons in Nigeria. We look forward to operationalisation of our proposal for 2025 for the monitoring and protection of the human rights of FDPs, refugees, asylum seekers and returnees in 11 states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Taraba, Benue, Cross River and Akwa – Ibom.
Finally, he said Nigeria should URGENTLY domesticate the Kampala Convention.
