Improving Human Rights In Nigeria

Nigeria recently joined the rest of the world to mark International Human Rights Day 2025. While not a lot of noise was made about it, a few governmental and non-governmental bodies marked the day with talkshops and symbolic actions.

Tellingly, there remains a clear disconnect between the commitments made by authorities and the lived experiences of Nigerians. While certain reforms offer reason for cautious optimism, the broader human rights climate remains deeply worrying and demands honest assessment.

One of the few states that made a visible effort in this direction is Lagos State. The state’s recent decision to release 91 inmates and commute several death sentences is a meaningful step towards a more humane justice system. These actions signal an understanding that justice must not only punish but also uphold human dignity. Also, the Lagos Directorate of Citizens’ Rights provides a model of responsive governance that other states should copy from. By addressing nearly 2,000 petitions and resolving over 1,200 disputes through mediation, it demonstrates what is possible when institutions work as they should, in the interest of the ordinary citizen. Other states would need to replicate such structures.

On a national level, the 30th anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) served as another moment for reflection. Its symbolic Walk for Human Rights in Abuja to commemorate the event was a reminder that freedom, dignity and justice remain the essential pillars of a functional society. As the Commission’s executive secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu, rightly noted, human rights are not lofty ideals; they are the everyday conditions that allow people to live meaningful lives.

That may be the ideal, but the reality is a different story. The rights of ordinary Nigerians are mostly observed in the breach. What is galling is that these persistent violations are accompanied by a lack of accountability. Violators are hardly made to pay for their wrongdoings, and this breeds the impunity that is concerning to most right-thinking Nigerians.

Recent incidents, including the reported shooting of women protesters in Adamawa State, underscore ongoing concerns about excessive force by security agencies, despite official denials. This recalls the violent quelling of the EndSARS protest in Lagos in which many died. Attempts to protest against bad governance have also been put down using government institutions and, sometimes, miscreants. Such events deepen public distrust and reflect systemic issues that are clearly in contravention of democratic ideals.

Similarly, the actions of non-state actors have weighed heavily against human rights. The resurgence of mass abduction of schoolchildren in Niger and Kebbi States adds to a long list of kidnappings that have left families traumatised and communities in fear. The victims have their lives, and rights, violently violated. Armed groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS–West Africa Province and bandits continue to inflict devastating harm through attacks, forced recruitment and gender-based violence. In the South East, separatist-linked unrest has contributed to killings, disappearances and widespread violations of the rights and liberties of Nigerians where they operate. Across the country, insecurity remains a daily reality for millions. Nobody can really exercise their rights under the prevailing conditions.

Compounding these challenges is the persistent failure of accountability mechanisms. Many rights violations concerning ordinary Nigerians are hardly investigated and prosecuted to the end. Oftentimes, investigations are announced with enthusiasm but rarely lead to meaningful consequences. The sense that perpetrators—whether state actors or armed groups—can commit abuses with little fear of punishment remains one of the nation’s most troubling realities.

Our justice system, which should serve as the final bastion for the protection of rights, is burdened by delays, inadequate resources, procedural failures and corruption. Recent reports have designated it as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country. Many ‘innocent’ detainees spend years awaiting trial, sometimes longer than the maximum sentence for their alleged offences. Case files go missing, hearings are repeatedly adjourned, and legal representation is often out of reach for ordinary citizens. The result is a justice system that appears distant and inaccessible to those who need it most.
Everywhere one turns, Nigerians can hardly enjoy their rights, whether legal, political, economic, religious or otherwise. Though there are ongoing arguments on the issue of Christian genocide, what is not in doubt is that several people are persecuted, or even killed, because of their religious persuasions. On political rights, many Nigerians cannot exercise their franchise due to violence, election rigging, results manipulation and institutional bottlenecks. It was not long ago that voter cards were found dumped in a toilet soakaway chamber to disenfranchise eligible voters.

Nigerians have not fared better on economic rights. Many workers are overworked and underpaid and they do not have effective structures to seek redress.

As a newspaper, we underline the centrality of human rights to the well-being of the citizenry. They are neither ceremonial nor optional. They form the bedrock of national stability and progress. Nigeria possesses the institutions to safeguard human rights. What remains is the political will to act decisively – by insisting on accountability, strengthening the justice system, and reforming the security architecture to mainstream the primacy of protecting the human rights of citizens in their operations.