The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported on Tuesday that it recorded 384,196 complaints of human rights violations across Nigeria in October. According to Premium Times, this figure represents a 13.4 percent increase from the 338,810 cases documented in September. The commission presented these findings at its headquarters in Abuja, highlighting a significant rise in reported rights issues nationwide.
Tony Ojukwu, the NHRC Executive Secretary, stated that freedom from discrimination was the most common violation, accounting for 217,243 complaints. He noted that 180,000 of these cases originated from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, where residents often face marginalisation and institutional neglect after fleeing violence. Ojukwu emphasised that displacement frequently deprives families of dignity and security, requiring the commission to move beyond documentation to ensure effective remedies.
Insecurity remains a primary driver of complaints, with the commission’s Human Rights Observatory documenting mass killings and abductions in states including Taraba, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, and Plateau. These incidents affect farming communities, travellers, and security personnel. Ojukwu described these events as having direct humanitarian implications, noting that they disrupt livelihoods and restrict freedom of movement. He also urged political actors to exercise restraint as the 2027 elections approach, arguing that electoral processes reflect broader human rights interplay.
Hilary Ogbonna, Senior Human Rights Adviser to the NHRC, indicated that total complaints in 2026 have surpassed 2.5 million. The North Central region recorded the highest number of October complaints at 116,739, followed by the South West with 65,309. Lagos and Rivers State entered the top ten list for the first time in 2026, a trend Ogbonna attributed to tensions surrounding upcoming elections. Together, the top ten states accounted for 52 percent of all complaints recorded in the month.
Specific violations affecting women and children also featured prominently in the report. The commission recorded 632 complaints of women denied access to their children, 591 cases of abandonment, and 376 forced marriages. Child abandonment rose by over 250 percent to 2,479 cases, while 2,093 children were forced into marriage. Despite the high volume of complaints, the NHRC resolved 1,455 cases in October, visited 108 detention places, and summoned the police 45 times.