The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised a fresh alarm over the deteriorating human rights situation in Nigeria, revealing that it received 659,617 complaints between January and March 2026.

During the presentation of the Q1 2026 Human Rights Situation Dashboard in Abuja, the Commission’s Senior Adviser, Hilary Ogbonna, noted that while the high numbers partially reflect improved public reporting through new digital channels, they primarily signal a deepening crisis in social protection and institutional conduct. The data shows a steady month-on-month increase, rising from 180,341 cases in January to over 256,000 in March alone.

The report identifies “discrimination” as the most frequently reported violation, followed closely by abuses involving law enforcement misconduct and violations of human dignity. Beyond civil liberties, the Commission documented a grim security landscape, recording 992 killings and 651 kidnappings across the federation in just three months.

February was singled out as the deadliest month of the quarter, with high fatalities attributed to banditry, insurgent activity, and mob violence. The North-central zone emerged as the region with the highest volume of complaints, specifically citing hotspots in Abuja, Benue, and Plateau States.

A particularly distressing section of the dashboard highlights the surge in violations against vulnerable groups, including children and women. The NHRC recorded over 1,600 cases of child abandonment and more than 1,000 instances of forced child marriages during the quarter. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) also remains a critical concern, with domestic violence and rape cases showing no signs of abating.

Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu described the current environment as “complex and evolving,” shaped by a combination of intense socio-economic pressures and systemic institutional failures that leave many Nigerians without adequate recourse.

The Commission also used the forum to address the perpetrators of the recorded 992 deaths. Bandits were found responsible for over 500 of these fatalities, while extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the recently emerged “Lakurawa” were also identified as significant contributors to the violence.

State-by-state data placed Kwara as having the highest number of deaths in the quarter with 170, followed by Niger and Borno. This geographical spread underscores that human rights threats are no longer localized to a single region but have become a pervasive national challenge affecting both rural farming communities and urban centers.

In response to these findings, the NHRC has advocated for an urgent “call to action” from the federal and state governments. The Commission is pressing for comprehensive reforms within law enforcement agencies to eliminate the “conflict of interest” often seen in internal investigations of police brutality. Furthermore, the NHRC emphasized the need for strengthened judicial independence and more robust social safety nets to protect citizens from the economic hardships that often trigger rights abuses. As the Commission prepares for a final international review of its status in late 2026, the current data serves as a stark reminder of the urgent work required to restore the dignity and safety of the Nigerian people.