News
Peter Obi Urges Nigerians to Uphold Human Rights and Embrace Unity on Human Rights Day
Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, took to his X handle on Tuesday to mark Human Rights Day, adding his voice to the global call for the protection of fundamental human rights.
His message, following his participation in International Anti-Corruption Day on Monday, strongly emphasized the importance of respecting the inalienable rights of every individual, regardless of their tribe, social status, or religion.
Obi highlighted that human rights are the foundation of peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.
He pointed out that, as citizens, it is crucial to reflect on how far Nigeria has come in ensuring the rights of its people are respected.
Unfortunately, according to Obi, the current state of human rights in the country is disheartening.
“Human rights are the foundation for peaceful, just, and inclusive societies,” Obi said.
“On a day like this, we ought to judge for ourselves how we have progressed or retrogressed in respecting the human rights of our citizens.”
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently reported that it receives over two million complaints annually related to human rights abuses in Nigeria.
But Obi acknowledged that these are just the ones brought to light—many others go unreported due to fear or lack of the ability to challenge these violations.
“Millions of others have neither the willpower to stand up against the abuse of their rights nor the voice to speak out and seek help,” he remarked.
Obi’s comments come amid disturbing statistics that paint a bleak picture of the country’s human rights record. In 2022, Nigeria was ranked 21st among countries with the worst human rights and rule of law violations globally.
More recently, in 2023, Nigeria was also listed as the 15th weakest state out of 177 countries on the Fragile State Index, reflecting ongoing challenges in governance, rule of law, and human rights protections.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
Judge Tells Duane Davis He Must Face Justice for Tupac’s Murder
Timini Egbuson Reflects on Embracing YouTube Movies in Nollywood
