The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) received a total of 450 complaints of human rights abuse and violations during the 2023 general elections, its Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu (SAN) announced on Wednesday. Of these, 300 complaints were filed during the presidential and National Assembly elections, while 150 were recorded during the governorship and State House of Assembly elections. Ojukwu made these statements in an interview with journalists in Abuja at the launch of the e‑rights project by Avocats Sans Frontières France, popularly known as Lawyers Without Borders. The project, funded by the European Union, aims to promote the rights of Nigerians in the digital sphere by harnessing opportunities and addressing challenges posed by new technologies.
Ojukwu explained that the NHRC closely monitored the activities of law‑enforcement and security agencies throughout the elections. “During the presidential elections we had about 300 cases of complaints or human rights violations, and during the governorship and State House of Assembly elections we had about 150 complaints,” he said. He could not provide a precise categorisation of the complaints because they encompassed a range of issues, including violence, vote‑buying, voter suppression, intimidation, and hate speech. He added that a “Situation Room” was established to collect and analyse complaints from Nigerians across the country.
Ivan Paneff, Vice President of ASF France, noted that over the past 15 years the agency has worked with Nigerian institutions to protect citizens’ human rights. He said that the rise of modern technologies now requires attention to digital rights. “We have entered a new phase in law because electronic devices, tools, and networks are permanently intervening in our daily lives. We must consider this to protect citizens’ rights and combat abuses by certain bodies or companies,” Paneff stated, emphasizing the partnership with Nigerian institutions.
Angela Uwandu, Country Representative of ASF France in Nigeria, warned against censorship of online platforms, stressing that freedom of expression must be guaranteed both offline and online. She explained that the e‑Rights Project is designed to meet the needs of Nigerian youths, activists, journalists, online news platforms, bloggers, social‑media influencers, human‑rights defenders, and engaged citizens, ensuring access to a free and open internet. “Today we have the pleasure of launching the e‑Rights Project, which aims to enhance digital rights in Nigeria. Together with our partners we are addressing the creation of free and secure online spaces so citizens can interact on digital platforms while respecting fundamental human rights,” she said. Uwandu added that while expressing rights online, individuals must not infringe on the rights of others, and the government should not use this as an excuse to censor. “Censorship should never be tolerated; the government must always respect people’s rights,” she concluded.
Comments are closed for this story.