By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Precise Post) – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has described July 2025 as one of the most troubling months in recent memory for human rights in Nigeria, reporting 331,035 complaints and a disturbing increase in killings, particularly among vigilante groups and law enforcement agents.
Speaking at the official presentation of the July Human Rights Situation Dashboard in Abuja on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of the Commissin, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, warned that the country is “facing a deepening human rights crisis,” and called on all stakeholders to act decisively to halt the erosion of dignity, justice, and security across Nigeria.
“These are not new issues, but their persistence underscores systemic problems we cannot normalize,” Dr. Ojukwu said. “When dignity is undermined by those tasked with upholding the law, the social contract begins to erode.
The Commission highlighted that July marked the deadliest month yet for vigilante groups, with nearly 100 fatalities. These groups, often the first line of community defense, have played a key role in supporting formal security agencies, especially in rural and conflict-prone areas.
“Their decimation portends danger for our collective security and the enjoyment of our liberties,” Ojukwu warned, stressing that these incidents are not isolated but symptomatic of a larger failure in security, justice, and accountability mechanisms.
In Sokoto, 15 men were killed in a reprisal attack, while in Kebbi, three police officers were gunned down during a botched abduction attempt. The NHRC dashboard also pointed to a surge in targeted killings of law enforcement agents, banditry, cult-related violence, and frequent kidnappings.
On the other hand, the NHRC Scribe also commended recent breakthroughs by security forces, including the arrest of leaders of Ansaru, a terrorist group implicated in numerous atrocities.
Dr. Ojukwu urged the swift prosecution of those responsible for such grave crimes, emphasizing the need for justice and accountability.
“We commend the DSS, Armed Forces, and Office of the National Security Adviser. However, we call on authorities to ensure swift trials and the highest accountability standards,” he said.
The dashboard shows that law enforcement abuses, freedom from discrimination, and violations of economic, social, and cultural rights remain among the most common complaints.
Dr. Ojukwu who stated that security agencies must recommit to professionalism and respect for human rights, also stressed that government actors must address root causes such as poverty, impunity, and weak institutions.
He also tasked Civil society and media to amplify awareness and demand accountability, urged citizens to resist violence and indifference.
Ojukwu further reaffirmed the commitment of the NHR to making rights “real, felt, and lived” for all Nigerians. He assured that plans are underway to strengthen the Commission’s complaint resolution systems, expand real-time monitoring through its Human Rights Observatory, and push systemic reforms targeting insecurity and discrimination.
He thanked civil society partners, and international allies such as the United Nations Development Programme, which has supported its efforts through the Tripartite Partnership Programme (TPP).
