Abuja – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in enforced disappearances, kidnappings, and abductions across Nigeria, describing the trend as a grave assault on human dignity and fundamental rights.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, made this known in a statement to mark the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
He lamented that the surge in such cases has plunged countless families into anguish, leaving loved ones in prolonged psychological distress and uncertainty.
Dr. Ojukwu attributed the growing number of missing persons to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, citing insurgency, banditry, herder-farmer clashes, separatist violence, and deepening poverty as key drivers.
He stressed that enforced disappearances, especially when linked to security operations, remain a major human rights concern that undermines public trust in the government’s ability to protect citizens.
Quoting provisions of international human rights instruments, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the NHRC boss reminded the Nigerian government of its obligation to guarantee liberty, security, legal recognition, and protection from torture and ill-treatment.
“The Commission urges governments at all levels to adopt proactive measures to address the root causes of insecurity while strengthening accountability and justice mechanisms,” Ojukwu said. He further called on security agencies to adhere strictly to international human rights standards in their operations and ensure perpetrators of abductions and enforced disappearances face justice.
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Reaffirming the Commission’s solidarity with families of missing persons, Dr. Ojukwu pledged ongoing advocacy to uphold victims’ rights. “They may be missing, but they are definitely not forgotten,” he assured.
He emphasized that only a comprehensive response addressing insurgency, banditry, communal violence, separatist agitations, and poverty can reduce the rising tide of missing persons and restore public confidence in state institutions.
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