Collaboration Key to Security, Human Rights Protection in South-East — Stakeholders

Security Stakeholders have called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, civil society organisations and local communities to promote human rights, accountability and the rule of law in Southeast Nigeria.
They made the call on Thursday during the launch of the Southeast Human Rights Bureau in Enugu, Enugu State, stressing that effective security measures must be pursued without violating the fundamental rights of citizens.
The stakeholders, drawn from the security, justice and human rights sectors, as well as representatives of government institutions across the five South-East states, converged in Enugu for the launch of the Bureau.
The launch also featured the unveiling of an Open-Source Reporting Platform and the training of human rights defenders from the five South-East states.
The Bureau is expected to serve as a regional mechanism for documenting human rights violations, supporting victims, promoting accountability and strengthening early warning and response systems.
The event was organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), with support from the Ford Foundation.
In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma, described the launch as the fulfilment of a collective vision conceived during the Southeast Stakeholders Summit on Peace and Security and Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations held about 17 months ago.
According to him, the Bureau is designed to complement existing institutions by generating credible documentation, facilitating strategic advocacy, promoting dialogue and supporting legal interventions aimed at addressing impunity.
Nwanguma said the newly unveiled Open-Source Reporting Platform would provide a secure mechanism for documenting violations, preserving digital evidence, verifying information and supporting data-driven advocacy.
He added that the training programme would equip human rights defenders with the necessary skills to monitor and report abuses in accordance with national and international human rights standards.
He stressed that the Bureau would operate collaboratively with governments, security agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations and local communities, noting that security and human rights should be viewed as mutually reinforcing rather than competing objectives.
“Where necessary, the Bureau will support strategic legal interventions to address patterns of serious human rights violations and institutional impunity. Indeed, as part of this coordinated approach, RULAAC is already leading consultations with lawyers, human rights defenders and partner organisations on a proposed class action on behalf of victims of the notorious Tiger Base.
“That initiative seeks justice and effective remedies for survivors while promoting institutional reforms and ending the culture of impunity.
“It reflects our conviction that credible documentation must lead to meaningful accountability, and that advocacy is most effective when reinforced by strategic legal action,” he said.
The Chairman of the occasion, Very Rev. Monsignor Prof. Obiora Ike, Professor of Ethics and Intercultural Studies at Godfrey Okoye University, said the initiative was aimed at reversing what he described as a growing culture of disregard for the rule of law.
He observed that rising insecurity and criminal activities were partly linked to weak implementation of the rule of law, urging participants selected for the training to take their responsibilities seriously if the Bureau must achieve the desired transformation in the region.
Representing the Ford Foundation, Oumar N’Diaye, in a goodwill message, congratulated stakeholders who contributed to the establishment of the Bureau, describing the rule of law as fundamental to peace, justice and national development.
He expressed confidence that the Bureau would strengthen collaboration among stakeholders in advancing justice and peace across the South-East, while assuring participants of the Foundation’s continued support for the initiative.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr Tony Ojukwu, represented by the Director of the Civil and Political Rights Department, Halilu Adamu, described the establishment of the Bureau as an opportunity to deepen cooperation among public institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and local communities.
He urged the Bureau to uphold the principles of independence, impartiality, professionalism and objectivity, noting that human rights advocacy is most effective when it is evidence-based and anchored on constitutional and international human rights standards.
Adamu commended the introduction of the Open-Source Reporting Platform, stating that digital technology had become an indispensable tool for documenting violations, identifying trends and supporting early warning mechanisms.
He, however, cautioned that all allegations must be carefully verified while ensuring the protection of victims’ rights and respect for fair hearing for all parties.
He reaffirmed the NHRC’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders while maintaining its statutory independence in promoting a culture of human rights across Nigeria.
In a goodwill message, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, represented by the Controller of Corrections, Enugu State Command, CC Valins Obizue, described the launch as a significant step towards strengthening the rule of law, protecting human dignity and promoting accountability.
He said the Correctional Service remained committed to the humane treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of persons in custody, adding that reforms introduced under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, had expanded educational and vocational programmes, strengthened staff capacity and promoted non-custodial measures.
While acknowledging that custodial congestion remained a major challenge, he said addressing the problem required stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, correctional authorities, policymakers and civil society organisations.
Nwakuche pledged the Service’s readiness to partner with the Southeast Human Rights Bureau in promoting respect for the rights of persons in custody, supporting rehabilitation programmes and advancing reforms within the criminal justice system.
In a keynote presentation, a former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (SAN), described the establishment of the Bureau and the Open-Source Reporting Platform as a timely response to increasing human rights violations.
She noted that communities in the South-East were caught between violent non-state actors and excessive security operations, while also drawing attention to what she described as the “modern slavery” of young girls trafficked under the guise of domestic work and subjected to abuse and exploitation.
The former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, stressed that respect for human rights should not be perceived as an obstacle to security but as the foundation for sustainable peace.
She said regional mechanisms such as the new Human Rights Bureau would help bridge the gap between national institutions and local communities, improve access to justice and provide credible evidence for advocacy and institutional reforms.
Unveiling the work of the Bureau, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, Dr Sam Amadi, said the initiative would help restore public confidence in governance by ensuring that people experience interventions that address their longstanding justice concerns.
For his part, a researcher with Amnesty International Nigeria, Maurice Chukwu, said lasting peace could only be achieved through security measures anchored on respect for human rights, accountability and the rule of law.
He noted that Amnesty International had, over the years, investigated and documented human rights violations across the South-East and consistently called for independent investigations, accountability, justice for victims and institutional reforms.
“Our message has remained clear: every allegation must be independently investigated, victims deserve justice and impunity must end.
“Amnesty International Nigeria is proud to partner with RULAAC on this important initiative. Together, we will strengthen credible human rights documentation, support human rights defenders and promote accountability in the pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
“We remain committed to working alongside you to ensure that the Southeast Human Rights Bureau becomes a trusted platform for truth, accountability and justice,” he said.
The two-day event was themed: “Strengthening Human Rights, Accountability, Peace and Security in Southeast Nigeria.”he said.