The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in collaboration with key stakeholders, has endorsed an updated Harmonised Complaints and Redress Manual aimed at strengthening human rights protection and improving access to justice across Nigeria.
The revised document serves as a comprehensive administrative guide, detailing the procedures involved in handling complaints within the Commission.
Addressing participants at the validation event, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu (SAN), explained that the manual is structured to accelerate case resolution while ensuring a secure and confidential process that minimises the risk of victim intimidation or retaliation.
He described the updated framework as both an “institutional shield” and a “crucial component” of the Commission’s commitment to justice, transparency, and the protection of human dignity.
“We rely on a fundamental maxim, Ubi jus ibi remedium (where there is a right, there must be a remedy).
” For many victims of human rights violation / abuses, including the vulnerable persons in Nigeria, this maxim has historically felt like a broken promise because the courts and administration of criminal justice in Nigeria have not always proved this right.
” The commission was established to fill this gap and recognised that we cannot simply urge people in Nigeria to “report abuses/violations.
” We must build an architecture that makes reporting safe and accountability effective. We must dismantle the fear of secondary victimization and ensure that all victims of human rights violation accesses justice ” he said.
Ojukwu further disclosed that a key innovation in the manual is the incorporation of the Human Rights Abuse Tracking System (HRAT), a digital platform designed to streamline the submission, documentation, categorisation, and escalation of complaints to appropriate units for prompt action.
In his remarks, a retired director of the Commission, Mr. Abdulrahman Yakubu, praised the initiative, noting that the revised manual would significantly enhance efficiency in handling cases while safeguarding victims through a more secure and confidential complaint process.
