UPDATED: 2023 Election: NHRC Moves To Monitor Activities Of Police, Others, Launches Situation Room

The National Human Rights Commission has launched its 2023 General Elections Human Rights Situation Room with the aim of monitoring human rights compliance of security operatives as well as voter participation and conduct.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu disclosed to newsmen during the launching on Friday that the focus of the Situation Room will be primarily targeted at reports of the human rights issues that will be at play during the election.

He was of the view that this election season, the role of security and law enforcement agencies in protecting voters access and ensuring full participation of citizens cannot be over emphasized.

“As an example, we will be monitoring closely the activities of law enforcement and security agencies during the elections.

” Law enforcement have a primary responsibility to protect the security of voters when the cast their votes but it is also their responsibility to help protect voter access and participation,” Ojukwu said.

He revealed that with the Commission’s offices across the federation, NHRC is capable of receiving and treating complaints of human rights violations, nationwide while subjecting violators to prosecution.

“The HRSR is equipped with toll free lines and short codes for easy and cost-free access to complaints by members of the public.

“The NHRC is putting everything in place to ensure that Nigerians can have confidence that when they call these toll-free lines, their complaints will not go unheard.

“On our part, the National Human Rights Commission will not spare any efforts in addressing the issues raised by voters all over the Country.

“We encourage Nigerians to confidently go out and exercise their fundamental right to vote,” Ojukwu said, encouraging Nigerians to go out and vote their choice candidates.

The toll free line and short codes disclosed to the general public for complaints are, 0806472428 and 6472.

Moreso, the Commission has deployed over 800 Election Observers to monitor the conduct of the security personnel and other human right issues arising from the general conduct of the polls.

Before their deployment late evening of Friday, Ojukwu maintained that the “commitment of security personnel to discharge their statutory mandates effectively before, during, and after the elections will determine the peaceful outcome of the elections.”