Nigeria, a federal republic composed of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been plagued by numerous incidents of human rights abuses, including those related to death factories and extrajudicial killings. This article delves into specific cases and broader issues, shedding light on the challenges faced by the country in upholding human rights and ensuring justice.
Map of Nigeria showing its 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Ibadan "House of Horror"
In March 2014, Nigerian police opened a murder investigation following the discovery of rotting bodies, skeletons, and people shackled with leg-chains in an abandoned building in Ibadan, a city in Oyo state. The discovery came after motorcycle taxi riders reported missing members, suspected to have been kidnapped.
Olabisi Ilobanafor, a spokeswoman for Oyo state police, stated, "When we got to the abandoned building, we saw decomposed corpses, skeletons and skulls in the building and surrounding bushes." Police also rescued several severely malnourished people found wandering in the bush near the building. One of them died on the spot while we were there."
The grisly find sparked riots outside the abandoned building, dubbed the “House of Horror.” At least 20 people were injured and 12 vehicles damaged when about 50 people brandishing sticks and machetes were prevented from accessing the property on Monday, an AFP correspondent said.
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The run-down, one-storey house, surrounded by undergrowth and strewn with the rusted hulks of at least five tractors and a dozen other vehicles, has been cordoned off since the grim discovery Saturday.
Police have so far not divulged any theory on how or why scores of skeletons and rotting corpses came to be found there, but black magic rituals are suspected among locals. Several severely malnourished people were also found wandering in the bush near the building, which is in the Soka area of the city. Reports said at least 15 others were found shackled inside.
"We want to rescue our people who are still underground and crying for help. But the police are saying no and we are angry," one rioter told AFP.
One man was said by eye-witnesses to have been shot in the stomach by a local gang member in the rioting, one woman added.
This incident remains a stark reminder of the potential for extreme human rights abuses and the importance of thorough investigations and justice.
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Death of Okhueleigbe and Investigation Challenges
Another case involves the death of Okhueleigbe, who, along with another worker identified as a Ghanaian, reportedly died in an industrial accident. It was said that a load pulling machine wrongly dropped a heavy object on Okhueleigbe and another unnamed worker identified as a Ghanaian, and they were rushed to a hospital where they gave up the ghost a few hours later.
According to the roommate, he had been unconscious in the hospital since Friday, 25th February, 2022. On 28th February 2022, the company was reached via one of its managers, Khalid Khalaf, and asked about the details of the cause of the death, but the manager informed us that Sarjah Police Department was investigating the case at the time.
She said: “On the 1st day of March, 2022, Sarjah Police Department was contacted on the telephone to confirm the incident and investigation. On 2nd March, 2022, the police department was once again contacted (by the family) for a follow-up.”
He promised to communicate with the Family in an official capacity. It was said that shortly after the telephone conversation, the company linked the family with a man described as an official of the Nigerian Embassy.
Okonkwo said: “On 3rd March, 2022, the company was called through the Manager to ask what was going on. A new person (Mr. Ronald) picked up the call and claimed to be in charge of the case.”
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“Questions such as what was the cause of his death? How did the accident happen? Why was Idiata at work on a Friday (he used to be off work on Fridays)? Why is the police report, doctor’s report and autopsy report yet to be sent and lots more were asked.
“Upon asking about the designation of the speaker and who he works for, he couldn’t give a response. We further asked if he works with the Nigerian Embassy, he said he doesn’t work with the Nigerian Embassy in Dubai.
“Mr. Ronald stated categorically that the company was willing to send the body home and the benefits and insurance would be paid. We agreed that the immediate senior brother be sponsored to attend the burial, but Mr. Ronald said the company would only be willing to pay for the ticket and visa fees.
He also requested that the family could make a recommendation of any known agency that could process the visa. A reputable travel agency was recommended and linked to Mr. Ronald.
“On 5th March, 2022, Mr. Ronald left a message as early as 7.00 am Nigerian time to inform a brother of the deceased, John, that the UAE government had given them a 5-day ultimatum to remove the body of the deceased (Okhueleigbe) from the morgue.
After a couple more hours, at about 11:30 am Nigerian time, Mr. Ronald called to ask for the account details of the deceased’s brother to send the money for the ticket and visa fees.
It is noteworthy that the company, through Mr. Ronald, was asked if there was any physical damage to Okhueleigbe’s body. Secondly, the company wants to know who the monetary issues for your brother should be sent to. John added: “He wasn’t married.
His death is a sad one because he was such a promising young man.
These cases highlight the challenges in obtaining information and ensuring accountability in cases of unnatural deaths, especially when they involve international entities.
Broader Context of Human Rights Abuses
Nigeria faces significant human rights challenges, including those related to security forces, insurgency, and prison conditions. The insurgency in the Northeast by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISIS-WA) has resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries, widespread destruction, and the displacement of approximately 1.8 million persons.
The government has taken steps to investigate alleged abuses but fewer steps to prosecute officials who committed violations, whether in the security forces or elsewhere in the government. Impunity remained widespread at all levels of government.
Extrajudicial Killings and Excessive Force
There were several reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary and unlawful killings. The national police, army, and other security services used lethal and excessive force to disperse protesters and apprehend criminals and suspects and committed other extrajudicial killings. Authorities generally did not hold police, military, or other security force personnel accountable for the use of excessive or deadly force or for the deaths of persons in custody.
State and federal panels of inquiry investigating suspicious deaths generally did not make their findings public. As of September there were no reports of the federal government further investigating or holding individuals accountable for the 2015 killing and subsequent mass burial of members of the Shia group Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and other civilians by Nigerian Army (NA) forces in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Arbitrary Arrest and Detention
After more than two years of incommunicado detention by the State Security Service (SSS) without trial, access to counsel, or family visitation, the publisher of Bayelsa State-based tabloid the Weekly Source, Jones Abiri, was released on bail in August. In August AI issued a statement on the International Day of the Disappeared, calling on the government to end unlawful arrests and incommunicado detentions, including the reported disappearances of more than 600 members of the IMN, and an unknown number of individuals in the Northeast where Boko Haram had been active.
Criminal groups abducted civilians in the Niger Delta and the Southeast, often to collect ransom payments. Maritime kidnappings remained common as militants turned to piracy and related crimes to support themselves.
On March 26, for example, Nigerian pirates boarded a fishing vessel off the coast of Ghana, kidnapping three Korean sailors and taking them by speedboat back to the Niger Delta. Other parts of the country experienced a significant number of abductions. Prominent and wealthy figures were often targets of abduction.
Torture and Inhuman Treatment
The constitution and law prohibit torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), passed in 2015, prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of arrestees; however, it fails to prescribe penalties for violators.
Authorities did not respect this prohibition, however, and, according to credible international organizations, the Special Antirobbery Squad (SARS) often used torture to extract confessions later used to try suspects. In 2016 AI reported police officers in the SARS regularly tortured detainees in custody as a means of extracting confessions and bribes.
Local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and international human rights groups accused the security services of illegal detention, inhuman treatment, and torture of criminal suspects, militants, detainees, and prisoners. Military and police reportedly used a range of torture methods including beatings while bound, rape and other forms of sexual violence.
Prison Conditions
Prison and detention center conditions remained harsh and life threatening. Prisoners and detainees reportedly were subjected to torture, gross overcrowding, inadequate medical care, food and water shortages, and other abuses; some of these conditions resulted in deaths.
Overcrowding was a significant problem. Although the total designed capacity of the country’s prisons was 50,153 inmates, as of July they held 73,631 prisoners. Approximately 68 percent of inmates were in pretrial detention or remanded.
Prisoners and detainees were reportedly subjected to torture, gross overcrowding, food and water shortages, inadequate medical treatment, deliberate and incidental exposure to heat and sun, and infrastructure deficiencies that led to wholly inadequate sanitary conditions that could result in death.
Disease remained pervasive in cramped, poorly ventilated prison facilities, which had chronic shortages of medical supplies. Inadequate medical treatment caused many prisoners to die from treatable illnesses, such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.
Map illustrating prison overcrowding across different states in Nigeria.
Key Issues and Statistics
The following table summarizes key issues and statistics related to human rights in Nigeria:
| Issue | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurgency | Boko Haram and ISIS-WA attacks, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacement of 1.8 million people. |
| Extrajudicial Killings | Lethal and excessive force used by security services, with widespread impunity. |
| Arbitrary Arrests | Incommunicado detentions, kidnappings for ransom, and targeting of prominent figures. |
| Torture | Use of torture by SARS and other security forces to extract confessions and bribes. |
| Prison Conditions | Overcrowding, inadequate medical care, food and water shortages, and unsanitary conditions. |
These issues underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and increased accountability to protect human rights in Nigeria.
