Human Rights Commission decries rise in Child abandonment

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nigeria has expressed concern over the rising cases of child abandonment, noting that the trend poses significant risks to the welfare and safety of vulnerable children.

The NHRC emphasized that issues, such as poverty, lack of access to education, and inadequate social services highlight deeper societal challenges and called for stronger measures to address them.

The monthly dashboard on human rights presented by the commission in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, revealed that Child Abandonment topped the Child rights violations in September 2024.

According to the dashboard, out of the 305, 300 complaints received by the commission, 2,723 complaints were on child abandonment while 1,476 complaints were on right to education among others.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu who was represented by the Director Legal Services and Enforcement department, Mrs. Rabi Anwal said the commission is concerned about the state of human rights in Nigeria and urged the government and law enforcement agencies to take necessary steps to respect, protect, and promote the human rights of all citizens.

“Today we will examine data from September, which includes 305,300 complaints received at the commission. As we explore the data, let is not lose sight of the human stories behind these numbers. Each complaint represents a person whose rights and dignity are at stake. We must approach our work with compassion and resolve, ensuring that we are not only identifying issues but also actively seeking solutions for every individual in Nigeria to enjoy the full spectrum of their human rights, free from fear and oppression

“A major issue we are highlighting today is the tragic loss of lives due to road accidents which severely undermines the enjoyment of human rights for many families,” she added.

She emphasized the urgent need for government and the Federal Road safety Corp to take immediate and sustainable measures to address the crisis and and ensure the safety and welfare of all motorists in Nigeria.

Mrs Anwal Urged the government and relevant stakeholders to address these underlying factors and implement effective support systems to ensure the protection and well-being of abandoned children.

While presenting the September edition of the Human Rights situation dashboard to the public, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna provided insights into the types of complaints that have been received by the commission, citing an upsurge in child rights abandonment in the country.

“Within the last one month, there are states that we need to bring to your attention. Anambra, again, just like many months ago, continues to witness attacks on police stations. Month after month, we say in these presentations that when you attack a police station, you may be attacking police wearing a uniform. But what you don’t know is that you are attacking the last line of defense for human rights

“It is important that even the police themselves understand that there is a duty, a solemn duty, a constitutional duty placed on the police to continue to protect citizens, protect our liberty. So when police say that they are withdrawing from one state, that gives cause for worry and when a police station is attacked, that is even more worrisome,” he added.

The dashboard provides an overview of current human rights violations which the Commission has collated across the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT.