The National Human Rights Commission has reported a staggering 267,787 complaints of human rights violations across Nigeria in April 2026, with killings, abductions, and police brutality topping the list.
The commission’s executive secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, expressed alarm at the figures, describing them as a damning indictment of the nation’s security and justice systems.
According to the report, the North-West and North-Central regions accounted for the highest number of cases, driven by banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and extrajudicial killings.
Other notable violations include unlawful detentions, torture by security agencies, and gender-based violence. The NHRC urged the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity and to hold perpetrators accountable.
Civil society groups welcomed the data but called for prompt prosecution of offenders.
They also demanded that the government strengthen community policing and improve access to justice for victims.
The commission pledged to intensify monitoring and legal interventions, noting that the true number of violations may be even higher due to underreporting.
