The Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Centre (HRCRC) Abakaliki, in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Ebonyi Office and the Ebonyi State Civil Society Network, has raised strong concerns over worsening patterns of human rights abuses across the state.
The organisations spoke during a joint press conference held Wednesday in Abakaliki to mark the 2025 International Human Rights Day, with support from Saint Patrick’s Missionary Society, Christ’s Love Compels Us, Development & Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation, Abraham’s Children Foundation, and Advanced Guidance Bureau Nigeria.
Presenting his address, HRCRC Executive Director George Etamesor said this year’s Human Rights Day theme, “Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials,” underscores the urgent need to confront daily hardships that threaten citizens’ dignity, safety, and access to justice.
Etamesor decried the deplorable condition of Rev. Fr. Kevin O'Hara Close, the access road leading to the HRCRC office off Hill Top Road near the Water Reservoir in Abakaliki, describing it as a major obstacle that endangers individuals seeking help.
“Victims of abuse seeking help are sometimes injured or discouraged from reaching us. Access to justice becomes impossible when the path to help is itself dangerous,” he said.
He urged the Ebonyi State Government to immediately rehabilitate the road and construct proper drainage to guarantee safe passage for residents and victims of abuse.
Etamesor further condemned what he described as the “illegal and exploitative practices” of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), accusing the firm of extortion through arbitrary billing and disconnections without due process.
“These practices destroy human dignity and economic stability,” he said, calling on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to enforce stricter oversight.
He also proposed a shift toward state-owned renewable energy generation, leveraging Ebonyi’s rivers, solar potential, and highland winds to deliver affordable and reliable electricity.
The press conference also highlighted increasing exploitation in the housing sector. Etamesor said landlords and agents now impose arbitrary charges and evict tenants without notice.
“These practices jeopardize the right to housing, family stability and security,” he said, calling for legislative reforms to support monthly rent payments and regulate tenancy processes.
He blamed quarry operators for leaving open pits and degrading the environment. According to him, abandoned pits have become “death traps,” causing accidents, erosion, and the loss of farmlands.
He called for stricter environmental enforcement and the establishment of community compensation funds to address damages caused by quarrying.
Another major concern was the state of the Abakaliki Correctional Centre, which as of 29 November 2025 held 1,051 inmates, including 892 awaiting trial; many for minor offences. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” Etamesor said.
He recommended expanding non-custodial sentencing, accelerating judicial processes, and deploying digital tools such as online hearings and stenography to decongest courts.
HRCRC also criticised persistent police practices, including demanding money before opening case files, charging for arrests, and making bail inaccessible despite the legal provision that bail is free. Such practices, they said, empower wealthy offenders while undermining justice for the poor.
Etamesor urged police academies to include human rights training from the onset, not only after officers are deployed.
Delivering a separate address, Christopher Okorie, NHRC Coordinator in Ebonyi, presented the message of the NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr. Tony Ojukwu, who marked the Commission’s 30th anniversary.
Ojukwu stressed that effective human rights protection requires collaboration among government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and the general public.
“Let us build a nation where human rights are not aspirational ideals, but daily realities,” the statement read.
Okorie also recounted the Commission’s interventions in cases of witch-hunting, including the rescue of victims in some Ebonyi communities.
He lamented the absence of government-run shelters, describing it as a significant threat to victim safety.
Both HRCRC and NHRC raised concerns about the lack of accessible office spaces, noting that their current buildings do not provide facilities for persons with disabilities, an irony for institutions mandated to safeguard human rights.
Civil society groups, clergy, and community representatives, including Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Iroh, joined the call for stronger protections for vulnerable populations.
To commemorate the day, the organisations also carried out tree-planting activities symbolizing growth, resilience, and environmental justice.
