The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on governments at all levels, security agencies and public institutions to place human dignity, equality and justice at the centre of Nigeria’s development as the country marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.
The commission said the success of the Federal Government’s reforms should ultimately be measured by their impact on the lives, rights and dignity of ordinary Nigerians, warning that economic growth could not be considered sustainable if its benefits failed to reach vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, made the call in his Independence Day message to Nigerians, in which he commended citizens for their resilience, creativity and determination in confronting the country’s social, economic and political challenges.
Reflecting on the national theme, “From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity,” Ojukwu said the country’s transition from reform to lasting stability must include a deliberate commitment to protecting fundamental rights and ensuring equal access to justice.
Ojukwu, in the statement signed by the commission’s Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Mohammed, urged governments to strengthen social protection mechanisms, expand access to basic services and ensure that economic policies and reforms remained consistent with Nigeria’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.
The NHRC boss also charged law enforcement and security agencies to combine the protection of national security with respect for fundamental rights, insisting that security operations must be guided by professionalism and accountability.
He said the rule of law and an independent and effective justice system remained essential to building public confidence, particularly among poor and vulnerable Nigerians who often face significant barriers to accessing justice.
Ojukwu specifically identified persons with disabilities, women, children, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups as requiring greater protection and meaningful access to justice.
He further called on public institutions to deepen public trust through transparency, accountability and responsive governance, while urging citizens to uphold peaceful coexistence, civic responsibility and respect for the rights of others.
The Executive Secretary recognised the role of civil society organisations, the media and human rights defenders in strengthening democracy, accountability and fundamental freedoms, stressing that an open and vibrant civic space remained critical to sustainable national development.
He said the commission was committed to working with government institutions, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media, development partners and citizens to promote and protect human rights while strengthening the culture of accountability.
According to him, Nigeria’s journey from reforms to lasting stability requires more than economic transformation, but must produce a society in which every citizen enjoys equal protection of the law, access to justice, dignity and the opportunity to participate meaningfully in national development.
Ojukwu said: “The transition from reforms to lasting stability requires more than economic transformation; it requires a Nigeria where every citizen enjoys equal protection of the law, access to justice, dignity and the opportunity to participate meaningfully in the nation’s development.”
