…Marks 30th anniversary

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Plateau State Office, has called on citizens to speak out against all forms of rights violations, stressing that timely reporting is essential to ensuring protection and justice.

The Commission made the appeal in Jos during a street and market sensitisation campaign held on Wednesday to commemorate the 2025 International Human Rights Day.

The event, themed “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials,” was organised by the NHRC in collaboration with Mission 21 and other civil society organisations, and featured a solidarity walk as the Commission also marked the 30th anniversary of its establishment in 1995.

During the walk which began at Miango Junction and ended at Zaramangada Roundabout, participants carried placards to pass across messages promoting human rights, dignity, equality, and justice.

Speaking, the Plateau State Coordinator of the NHRC, Kiyenpiya Mafuyai, described the commemoration as a milestone that reflects three decades of promoting and defending human rights in Nigeria.

She emphasised that the walk was “a march of unity, resolve, and shared commitment to a Nigeria where no one is left behind,” and acknowledged the support of partners including the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption RoLAC, Mission 21, Women4Women International, the Plateau Peace Building Agency, and others whom she described as instrumental to the Commission’s successes.

Despite rising insecurity and socio-economic hardship, she noted that the Plateau office has handled hundreds of human rights cases in 2025, reaffirming that all NHRC services remain free.

She urged residents to “see something, say something,” and report abuses without fear, insisting, “Our walk today is not rooted in protest, but in unity. It is a collective resolve to build a Nigeria where every right is protected, every voice matters, and no one is left behind.”

Mafuyai emphasised that safeguarding human rights cannot be left to the NHRC alone, stressing the need for collaboration from government institutions, the private sector and citizens across the country.

“Together, let us build a nation where human rights are not aspirational ideals but daily realities,” she said.

The NHRC concluded the anniversary event with a pledge to continue championing the rights of all persons in Nigeria, guided by gratitude for past progress, responsibility for present challenges and hope for a future anchored on freedom, equality and justice.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, Olivia Dazyem, commended NHRC’s longstanding impact in the State.

During the rally, NHRC officials, and partners engaged commuters in multiple languages on issues such as domestic violence, unlawful detention, harmful practices, and child abuse.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to strengthening human rights protection across Plateau State, urging victims and witnesses of violations to lodge complaints directly at the NHRC office, where services remain entirely free and confidential.