Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Kano State revealed that it received 2,250 complaints of alleged human rights abuses throughout 2023.
On Wednesday, the NHRC coordinator, Shehu Abdullahi, provided a breakdown of the complaints, stating that the commission handled 425 phone call complaints and 1,520 walk-in cases, while 305 cases remain pending.
Abdullahi highlighted the nature of the complaints, revealing that out of the 1,825 walk-in complaints, 1,460 were related to the abandonment of family responsibilities.
The remaining cases focused on women and gender matters, encompassing issues such as domestic violence, paternity denial, and reproductive rights, among others. He also noted that sexual and gender-based violence is on the rise in society.
Abdullahi, also a member of the steering committee of the Kano State Sexual Assault Referral Center at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, shared data on rape, confirming that the centre recorded 710 cases of rape and sexual offences between January and September of 2023, with 461 cases involving female children and 249 involving boys.
Addressing challenges faced by the commission, Abdullahi expressed concern about unreported cases of sexual harassment occurring in markets, schools, and other gatherings due to societal norms. He also highlighted the reluctance of families to report instances of rape involving their wards or members.
