Group intervenes in 58 human rights abuse cases
[4/20, 2:35 PM] nasirdambatta: Non-Governmental Organisation, Human Rights Defenders Nigeria, says it intervened in 58 cases of human rights abuses since inception in 2016.
Its Chairman, Mr Dede Uzor, made the disclosure at a news conference in Onitsha on Wednesday.
The conference was on plans to hold a two-day seminar to sensitise the public on human rights.
Uzor said the organisation had intervened in cases involving child trafficking, child abuse, unlawful arrest, harassment and torture by security operatives, abduction and rescue of victims of child trafficking.
He added that many cases were resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution, while some others were taken to court.
The chairman expressed concern that “people hardly come forward with complaints involving abuse of their rights.
“Residents in the state hardly lay complaints when their rights are abused. We practically force them to complain so we can handle their cases.
“People seem not to be well informed about their rights, and how treated cases can help to restore law and order in the society.”
He attributed the feat so far achieved by the group to the support and collaboration given to it by security agencies in the state.
The chairman explained that the seminar, which would hold between April 24 and April 25, was in collaboration with Onitsha branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
He said the theme of the seminar is “Creating New Human Rights Culture.”
According to him, the seminar will feature lectures on “Strategies For Creating New Human Rights Culture in Nigeria”, “The Place of Human Rights in Democratic Dispensation” and “Human Rights Abuse: Police Perspective.”
Other topics to be presented included “Your Rights as Electricity Consumer” and “Why Police is Underfunded”, among others.
Uzor further disclosed that the seminar would feature award of recognition to be presented to 23 distinguished individuals and institutions that supported the course of the group over the years.
Some of the awardees included Chief Mike Okiro, Chairman of Police Service Commission; Businessman Chief Linus Okwuchukwu, CSP Temitope Fashugba of ‘A’ Division Asaba, Delta.
