By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged stakeholders to provide critical inputs to effectively drive the National Action Plan (NAP) for the promotion and protection of human rights across the country.
The call was made during a one-day State Consultative Meeting held in Bauchi.
Organised in partnership with VIVA Atlantic Limited, the forum focused on developing the 2026 Implementation Plan for the broader NAP (2024–2028) cycle.
In an opening address delivered by the Bauchi State Coordinator of the NHRC, Barrister Yahcit Dala, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN, the commission emphasized that the NAP serves as Nigeria’s foundational roadmap for human rights.
“The National Action Plan (NAP) is a guiding document for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria in line with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action adopted at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, Austria in 1993.”
“This document represents a collective commitment by government institutions and non-state actors to address existing gaps, respond to emerging challenges, and build a more inclusive and rights-respecting society,”
“In line with this declaration, Nigeria adopted its first National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2009–2013), serving as a framework to implement Nigeria’s international human rights commitments and guide coordinated action across government institutions.”
“Following the expiration of the NAP 2009–2013 plan, the National Human Rights Commission championed and led a decade-long consultative process involving a wide range of stakeholders. This process cut across multiple stages, including consultations with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society participation, as well as deliberations by steering and coordinating committees.”
“The extensive and inclusive nature of this process ultimately culminated in the adoption of the National Action Plan (2024–2028), reflecting a renewed and more comprehensive commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria” Ojukwu stated.
To support the ongoing implementation strategies, the Bauchi State Commissioner for information and Communications, Usman Shehu Usman announced that the Bauchi State Ministry of Information and Communications will permanently assign a Desk Officer to the consultative forum.
He pledged to leverage the state’s broadcasting infrastructure which he described as the largest community radio network in Nigeria to actively disseminate human rights awareness campaigns and program updates
Usman highlighted widespread societal challenges, including rampant child labor fueled by poverty, domestic violence, and the exploitation of young girls sent away for underage domestic work.
He pointed out critical enforcement bottlenecks and legal gaps in the justice system, citing a local case where an individual accused of removing a child’s eyes was released by the court despite direct intervention from the State’s First Lady.
“There are a lot of small cases and big cases that I think we need collectively to tell ourselves that this is against human rights,” Usman said. “Our laws need to be changed” he said.
The consultative meeting concluded with interactive sessions featuring a cross-section of participants drawn from relevant MDAs, human-rights-focused CSOs, community leaders, and journalists.
