Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
Following a recent wave of terrorist and armed robbery attacks across Nigeria, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commiserated with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN).
Similarly, the NHRC also condoled with the governments and people of Borno, Niger, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Sokoto, Plateau, and other affected States that have borne the burnt of attacks.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr. Tony Ojukwu SAN made this known in a statement on Monday signed by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director Corporate Affairs and External Linkages.
Ojukwu expressed heartfelt condolences in his reaction to the recent escalating attacks on both the military and civilian population in some parts of the country.
He said the Commission is deeply concerned by the escalation, frequency, and geographic spread of these attacks, which have in recent months targeted military formations, civilian communities, places of worship, markets, and public institutions, resulting in significant loss of life, injuries, destruction of property, and large-scale displacement.
Particularly troubling he said, are the coordinated assaults on military bases in the North-East, including attacks on formations in Borno State leading to the loss of gallant officers, as well as suicide bombings in civilian areas such as markets and hospitals in Maiduguri.
He maintained that equally alarming are the mass casualty attacks on rural communities in Niger, Benue, and Kwara States, the targeting of worshippers in Kaduna State, and recurring violence in parts of the North-West, including Sokoto State and the recent attack in Plateau state.
“We mourn with the families of the brave officers and soldiers who paid the ultimate price in defence of the nation, and with the countless civilians whose lives have been cut short, whose dignity have been violated, and whose communities have been devastated by these acts of terror” he lamented.
Expressing deeper concern over the ugly trend, the Nigeria’s Chief Human Rights Officer said these attacks represent a grave and systematic assault on the right to life, dignity, and security of person, as guaranteed under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and other international human rights and humanitarian law instruments binding on Nigeria.
He added that the deliberate targeting of civilians and security personnel by non-state armed groups is unlawful, unjustifiable, and constitutes a gross violation of the most fundamental norms of humanity.
The Learned Silk noted with grave concern that the evolving pattern of violence characterised by coordinated military assaults, suicide bombings, mass village raids, and cross-regional spread from the North-East into the North-West and North-Central; underscores the urgent need for a more coherent, preventive, and human rights-based national response.
“While the NHRC acknowledges the immense sacrifices and ongoing efforts of the Armed Forces and other security agencies, we must as a nation confront an urgent truth: the protection of civilians cannot remain incidental to security operations, it must be their central objective” Ojukwu stressed.
“The NHRC therefore reiterates its call for the immediate development, adoption, and implementation of a comprehensive National Policy on the Protection of Civilians”.
He advised that such a policy must:
Place human rights at the core of all security responses
Prioritise the prevention of civilian harm, especially in vulnerable rural and conflict-affected communities,
Ensure accountability for violations, whether by state or non-state actors, Provide effective remedies, rehabilitation, and support for victims and survivors, Guarantee that military and security operations adhere strictly to the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution,
Strengthen early warning, community engagement, and civilian protection mechanisms in high-risk areas.
The Human Rights Commission Boss also emphasized that the policy must ensure that affected populations are not reduced to statistics or collateral damage but are recognised as rights-holders whose protection, dignity, and participation are non-negotiable.
He further stated that an integrated human rights approach to national security is not a concession to weakness; it is a requirement of law and a foundation for legitimacy.
“Evidence globally demonstrates that sustainable peace and security are only achievable where the State consistently upholds and protects the rights of its People”, he said.
He reiterated that the Commission stands in solidarity with the Military, affected States, and all communities impacted by this violence.
“We remain committed to working with the Federal Government, State Governments, security agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s response to terrorism strengthens, rather than undermines, the human rights framework upon which our democracy rests” the statement concluded.
END
