The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reported on Tuesday that it received 268,787 complaints about human rights in May. This is an extra 2,000 complaints compared to April. The NHRC said this makes May a tough month for human rights in Nigeria.
As in past months, most of the complaints in May were about discrimination and issues caused by law enforcement.
The NHRC’s report also highlighted many cases of abductions that violated people's rights to education, movement, life, and freedom of religion.
Tony Ojukwu, the NHRC’s executive secretary, said the report for May shows the ongoing struggle in Nigeria to protect human rights for its people. Mr Ojukwu, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said, "Notably, violations involving state actors remain the most significant concern. May 2026 has been a devastating month for human rights in Nigeria.
"In just 31 days, we saw events that really questioned our shared commitment to human dignity and basic freedoms," he added.
On May 15, PREMIUM TIMES reported that armed men on motorcycles attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, near Alawusa. They also attacked Community Grammar School and L.E.A Primary School in Ahoro-Esiele, located in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Similarly, suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents attacked schools and homes in the area, leaving over 40 children missing. Many of these children are toddlers or younger primary pupils.
Hilary Ogbonna, NHRC’s senior human rights adviser, shared concerns about other serious incidents reported in May.
These incidents included the abduction of 15 people, including women and babies, in Bakori, Katsina; 13 men in Danko/Wasagu, Kebbi; and 12 passengers in Ondo State.
Mr Ogbonna also said that freedom of religion faced threats in three states during May. Worshippers were attacked during a vigil in Kwara State, resulting in three deaths and 15 abductions. Mr Ogbonna mentioned that attackers killed an Islamic cleric in another area during this time.
In Kaduna State in the North-west, bandits attacked a mosque in Giwa. In Abuja, the capital city in the North-central region, gunmen kidnapped 13 people who were heading to a religious event.
Out of the 268,787 complaints received in May, 202 involved kidnappings and 390 were about extra-judicial killings, including 92 deaths from road accidents.
"These incidents are not just isolated problems but reflect a larger humanitarian issue that needs urgent attention," Mr Ojukwu stated.
One of the most shocking events recorded was in Tumfa, Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. A military airstrike reportedly hit a market that terrorists frequented.
Mr Ojukwu mentioned that the NHRC is in talks with the Nigerian Air Force and the military about air strikes that may have harmed civilians.
After the recent airstrikes aimed at terrorists but which killed civilians, the NHRC called for explanations from the Nigerian Air Force. They warned that these incidents raise serious human rights concerns.
Complaints from Different Regions
The North-central region had the highest number of complaints in May, totaling 120,659. The North-west followed with 47,719 complaints, the North-east had 50,201, the South-east received 31,210, the South-south had 9,558, and the South-west recorded 9,440. Even though the overall numbers changed, the ranking of complaints across all regions stayed the same as last month.
The commission listed the top ten states with the most violations. Similar to April, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Imo, Sokoto, Bauchi, and Kogi states had the highest violations in May.
Overall, complaints from these ten states made up 74 percent of the total complaints received by the NHRC.
In May, 2,123 women reported domestic violence, 75 reported sexual violence, and 18 reported rape.
The NHRC found child abandonment was the top child rights violation, followed by children caught in custody disputes and sexual abuse.
The commission also resolved 3,560 cases, a 115.63 percent increase from April’s 1,651 resolved cases. They visited 107 custodial centers, police stations, and detention facilities. The NHRC also summoned the police 32 times and visited the military twice.
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