2,250 human rights abuses complaints received in 2023 — NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission in Kano State said it received 2,250 complaints of alleged human rights abuses from January to December 2023.

The NHRC State Coordinator, Shehu Abdullahi, made this known in an interview with journalists on Wednesday in Kano.

He said that out of the 2,250 complaints, 1,825 were walk-in complaints, while 425 were received through phone calls.

According to him, 425 phone call complaints have been completed, 1,520 walk-in cases treated, and 305 are pending.

“Out of the 1,825 walk-in complaints, 1,460 were on abandonment of family responsibility, while the remaining are on women and gender matters, which include domestic violence, issues of paternity denial, and reproductive rights, among others.

“Sexual and gender-based violence is more prevalent these days.

“NHRC has been a member of the steering committee of the Kano State Sexual Assault Referral Centre based at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

“We had the privilege to get data on rape from January to September 2023.

”The centre received 710 cases of rape and sexual offences, out of which 461 affect girl children and 249 affect boy children,” he said.

The coordinator explained that cases of sexual harassment that happened in markets, schools or any other gathering were not reported based on the nature of society.

He added that challenges the commission faced included the refusal of families whose wards or members had been raped to report to relevant stakeholders.

The state coordinator urged parents to bring up their wards properly and provided the necessary items they needed.

“There is a need to check the grassroots of these children and address it quickly,” Mr Shehu said.