The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has released a quarterly report on the protection of forcibly displaced persons in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.
The report was presented during a ceremony on Monday.
NHRC Executive Secretary, Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, explained the project’s focus: “This project monitors and reports on the situation of forcibly displaced persons in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.”
He emphasized the importance of the quarterly presentation in the overall project.
Ojukwu outlined the project’s objectives: “The objective is to monitor the human rights and protection situation in the project states, providing a comprehensive insight into the issues concerning forcibly displaced persons (IDPs, returnees, etc.). This enables the government and humanitarian actors to intervene and respond to their needs, reducing their vulnerability.”
The NHRC Executive Secretary highlighted the commission’s nine-year partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the importance of informing stakeholders about their activities in the affected states.
Ojukwu stated, “This presentation provides stakeholders with an overview and analysis of human rights issues relating to forcibly displaced persons, as observed and documented by Human Rights Monitors in the project states.”
He added that the presentation would offer insights into evolving human rights issues and explore collaborative avenues for addressing emerging challenges.
Ben Agu, head of the monitoring unit at NHRC, presented a graphic representation of the report, detailing the project’s activities, achievements, and challenges.
He noted, “Regular visits were made to detention centers, corrections facilities, police and military cells to assess compliance with International Human Rights best practices and identify human rights concerns against forcibly displaced persons, providing remedy/solution.”
Agu also highlighted challenges faced during the project implementation, including “The absence of lawyers and courts in some locations (e.g., Pukka), hindering the administration of justice and access to justice.”
