2,000 human rights violation cases recorded in Borno – NHRC

The National Human Right Commission on Wednesday said it had recorded about 2,000 human right violation cases in Borno State in the last four years.

The coordinator of the commission in Borno State, Alhaji Babangida Labaran, said this in an interview with journalists.

He said the cases included alleged rape, wanton destruction of property, torture and brutality by security agencies.

Labaran stated that others included domestic cases like family dispute and violation against child right by parents.

He explained that despite the insurgency in the state, the agency was working toward protecting the rights of the citizens.

Labaran attributed the rising cases of violation of human rights, especially rape, to the unwillingness of parents assist in prosecuting rape offenders in court.

The coordinator, however, called on parents, particularly women, to show concern and stand behind their wards to prosecute rape offenders, stressing that if the crime remained unchallenged, it would to increase.

He added, “We recorded about 50 rape cases in 2014, while so many of these cases, we just hear them in town while the offenders go unpunished. Parents should know that they are not helping their children by accepting to settle rape cases out of court.

“They are killing the future of such children. You cannot quantify the pains encountered by the victims with monetary settlement.

“My advice for women is that they should rise up to fight any form of abuse against women, particularly rape and defilement.”