By BOSEDE OLUFUNMI

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Kano State says it received 2,250 complaints of alleged human rights abuses from January to December, 2023.

The NHRC State Coordinator, Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kano.

He said that out of the 2,250 complaints, 1,825 cases were walk-in complaints while 425 were received through phone calls.

According to him, all the 425 phone call complaints has been completed, 1,520 walk-in cases had also been treated, while 305 are pending.

“Out of the 1,825 walk-in complaints, 1,460 were on abandonment of family responsibility, while the remaining are on women and gender matters which include domestic violence, issue of paternity denial, reproductive rights among others.

“Sexual and gender based violence is more prevalent these days.

“NHRC has been a member of steering committee of Kano State Sexual Assault Referral Centre based at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

“We had privilege to get data of rape from January to September, 2023. The center received 710 cases of rape and sexual offences out of which 461 affect girl children while 249 affects boy children”, he said.

The State Coordinator explained that case of sexual harassment which happened in markets, schools and any other gathering are not reported considering the nature of our society.

He added that challenges the Commission faced included refusal of families who their wards or members had been raped to report to relevant stakeholders.

The State Coordinator urged parents to bring up their wards properly, and provided necessary items they needed.

“There is need to check the grassroots of these children and address it speedily,” Shehu said. (NAN)

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