Human rights abuses remain prevalent in Nigeria, with reports of police brutality, unlawful detention, and extrajudicial killings continuing to surface, raising concerns about the protection of basic human rights.

This was contained in a report by a prominent social impact organisation, Dataphyte Foundation, as part of activities marking President Tinubu’s first year in office.

According to the report, the troubling trend has persisted during the first year of the with numerous incidents.

”Among these events is the Okuama killings, allegedly carried out by the Nigerian army in retaliation for the deaths of 17 soldiers killed by a militant group at Okuama.

This explains the World Justice Project’s estimation that the worst of the 8 human rights abuses in Nigeria is the weak protection of the right to life and security of the person.

Another instance is the stifling of press freedom, reflected in the unlawful detention of journalists by state security forces, forced disappearances, and baseless abductions. 

Between September 2023 and May 2024, state actors have detained and arrested approximately 12 Nigerian journalists.

The two most recent cases ‌are the abduction and arrest of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, and Madu Onuorah, the publisher of the Global Upfront Newspaper.

The report stated that these instances of human rights abuses were continued episodes of human rights abuse during the Buhari-led administration.

”A notable one then was the 2020 End SARS protests where peaceful demonstrators, who were calling for an end to police brutality, faced excessive force.

”This ultimately culminated in the tragic Lekki Toll Gate massacre, where numerous unarmed protesters were killed and injured.

”Protecting citizens’ fundamental rights and strengthening the rule of law remain critical challenges for the Tinubu administration as it strives to improve human rights conditions in the country,” the report added.