Rights Groups Want Govt To Check Hardship Among Nigerians

Human rights groups and non-governmental organisations in Ebonyi State have called on governments at all levels to confront the economic hardships threatening the citizens’ dignity, safety and access to justice.

The organisation which made the call in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital are Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Centre (HRCRC) Abakaliki, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Ebonyi Office and the Ebonyi State Civil Society Network.

They spoke at this year’s Human Rights Day, with the theme, “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials.”

The executive director, HRCRC, Ebonyi State, Mr George Etamesor, said the event was organised with the support of Saint Patrick’s Missionary Society, Christ’s Love Compels Us, Development & Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation, Abraham’s Children Foundation, and Advanced Guidance Bureau Nigeria.

Etamesor expressed concern over worsening patterns of human rights abuses across the country.

He decried the deplorable condition of Rev. Fr. Kevin O’Hara Close, the access road leading to the HRCRC office off Hill Top Road near the Water Reservoir in Abakaliki, describing it as a major obstacle that endangers individuals seeking help.

“Victims of abuse seeking help are sometimes injured or discouraged from reaching us. Access to justice becomes impossible when the path to help is itself dangerous,” he said.

He urged the Ebonyi State Government to immediately rehabilitate the road and construct proper drainage to guarantee safe passage for residents and victims of abuse.

Etamesor further condemned what he described as the “illegal and exploitative practices” of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), accusing the firm of extortion through arbitrary billing and disconnections without due process.

“These practices destroy human dignity and economic stability,” he said, calling on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to enforce stricter oversight.

He also proposed a shift toward state-owned renewable energy generation, leveraging Ebonyi’s rivers, solar potential, and highland winds to deliver affordable and reliable electricity.

The meeting highlighted increasing exploitation in the housing sector adding that landlords and agents now impose arbitrary charges and evict tenants without notice.

“These practices jeopardize the right to housing, family stability and security,” he said, calling for legislative reforms to support monthly rent payments and regulate tenancy processes.

He blamed quarry operators for leaving open pits and degrading the environment. He said that abandoned pits have become “death traps,” causing accidents, erosion, and the loss of farmlands.

He called for stricter environmental enforcement and the establishment of community compensation funds to address damages caused by quarry operators.

The group also expressed concern over the state of the Abakaliki Correctional Centre, which they said that as of 29 November 2025 is hosting,1,051 inmates, including 892 awaiting trial.

He recommended expanding non-custodial sentencing, accelerating judicial processes, and deploying digital tools such as online hearings and stenography to decongest courts.

In his address, the executive secretary, National Human Right Commission, NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, represented by the state coordinator, Mr  Christopher Okorie,  maintained that effective human rights protection requires collaboration among government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and the general public.

“Let us build a nation where human rights are not aspirational ideals, but daily realities.Absence of government-run shelters is a significant threat to victim safety,” he said.

He recounted the commission’s interventions in cases of witch-hunting, including the rescue of victims in some Ebonyi communities.