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Tag: Oti Ovrawah

  • NHRC begins public hearing on hate speech, electoral violence

    NHRC begins public hearing on hate speech, electoral violence

    The National Human Rights Commission ( NHRC ), on Tuesday in Jos, began public hearing on hate speeches and electoral violence, witnessed during and after the 2015 general elections in North-Central states.

    Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the NHRC’s Acting Executive Secretary, who declared the event open, said the public hearing was necessitated by a  myriad of complaints received by the commission against persons or parties.

    Ovrawah said those people and parties were alleged to have been involved in promoting hate speech and electoral violence.

    According to her, the public hearing is also to deepen Nigeria’s democracy and promote issue based campaigns, as against speeches that would divide Nigerians and engender electoral violence.

    “As you are aware, reports of violent incidents and the spread of hate and dangerous messages were widely recorded in the events that preceded the 2015 general elections.

    “Hate speeches and electoral violence have become more frequent in the past because there was no political will to hold the perpetrators accountable.

    “So the essence of this public hearing is to seek for accountability, where there is evidence that any person has been involved in hate speeches and election related violence in relation to 2015 elections.

    “This is also to deepen our democracy and encourage election campaigns that would be based on issues rather than the use of hate speeches capable of causing election violence,” she said.

    Read also: Boko Haram: NHRC denies indicting Presidency, others in report

    The acting Executive Secretary added that the exercise would ensure better future elections that would be devoid of rancour and hate speeches.

    She explained that the hearing would be based on complaints received and the preliminary investigations and analyses already carried out by the commission.

    Ovrawah noted that those, who would be indicted at the hearing would be recommended to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for prosecution.

    “In addition to this, a register of persons involved in hate speeches and election violence will be opened to serve as a reference point in future election related matters,” she added.

    She enjoined all parties involved to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

    Similar exercise will be held in other geo-political zones across the country.

    NAN

  • Nigeria, Uganda partner to promote Human Rights

    Nigeria, Uganda partner to promote Human Rights

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) says it will partner with its Ugandan counterpart to boost monitoring, investigating and prosecution of human rights violations in their respective countries.

    Mrs Oti Ovrawah, the Acting Executive Secretary of NHRC, made this known Monday at the opening of four-day training on Human Rights for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Yola.

    Ovrawah said that the two countries were committed to promoting human rights, particularly in areas of sharing ideas and training in ensuring   protection of human rights, particularly in areas of conflicts.

    She also said that the cardinal objectives of the training in Yola were to promote human rights and accountability in Nigerian in general and in the North-East in particular.

    “The Commission is organising this training in partnership with the Human Rights Agenda Network, European Union, United Nations High Commission for Human Rights and the Ugandan Human Rights Commission.

    “The core objectives of the training include monitoring and investigation of human rights violations by Civil Society Organisations, Human Rights Agenda Network and the Commission due to counter insurgency operations in Adamawa,Borno and Yobe.

    “The commission and partners with the project probono lawyers will accordingly prosecute some of these cases and bring perpetrators of human rights violations to account for their acts.” Ovrawah said.

    The acting executive secretary said the prosecution would be done through court cases and public hearings

    She stated that the training would also focused on documentation and reporting skills and personal safety and risk management of the human rights personnel.

    According to her, other aspects of the training include registration of complaints, record keeping and case management, standard reporting and monitoring template for human rights violations.

    In his remarks, Mr Wilfred Asiinwe of the Ugandan Human Rights commission said Nigeria and Uganda shared common experiences in terms of internal civil conflicts.

    He stressed the need for the two countries to partner and promote the rights of their respective citizens.

    Asiinwe, who is also a facilitator at the training, said that time had come for African countries to come together and solve problems and challenges affecting them.

    “Citizen Human Rights is one of the fundamental aspects of development to every nation; therefore, African countries should not be left behind,” Asiimwe said

    He said while conflict could not be eradicated, but could be controlled and managed to the bearable level through investigation, promoting and prosecution of Human Rights cases.

    Participants at the event were drawn from CSOs based in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

    Some of resource persons that presented papers at the training include Mr Christian Mukosa, Senior human rights adviser, office of the High Commission of Human Rights, Juba, Sudan and Prof. Akinseye Geirge, human rights expert.

    Others are Olaniyo Omodara and A.A. Yakubu, seasoned lawyers and experts in investigation and prosecution of human rights cases.

  • NHRC trains MDAs on caring for IDPs in northeast

    NHRC trains MDAs on caring for IDPs in northeast

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has organised a special training for personnel of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) saddled with catering for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in parts of the north.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day training is being organised in collaboration with the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Jos.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah, NHRC Acting Executive Secretary, said that the training was part of the commission’s steps to safeguard the interest of the IDPs.

    “We want to effectively monitor the humanitarian situation in the IDPs’ camps; we want to ensure that they do not suffer,” she said.

    She said that the trainees would be tutored on how to draw government’s attention to the humanitarian situation in the camps, and ways to respond to the needs of the IDPs and make them less vulnerable.

    “They will also be trained on how to package requests to government and attract prompt response,” he said.

    Ovrawah said that the training would avail MDAs working in project states the opportunity to synergise and strategise for better result.

    NAN reports that the training drew participants from Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Gombe, and Yola in the North East, and Benue in the North Central.

  • NHRC to FG: It’s time to end herdsmen attacks

    The National Human Rights Commission has expressed concern at the incessant killings by suspected herdsmen and urged the Federal Government to act now.

    NHRC’s Acting Executive Secretary, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah, said the “time has come for the government and security agencies to ensure effective protection of lives and properties of defenceless Nigerians, who are victims of incessant attacks by suspected herdsmen in the country.”

    Spokesperson of the NHRC, Mrs. Fatimah Agwai Mohammad, said in a statement on Wednesday that Mrs. Ovrawah’s comments followed the recent killing of some Nigerians in Southern Kaduna and other parts of the country by suspected herdsmen.

    She argued that the frequency of such attacks now makes it imperative, more than ever before, for the government and the security agencies “to act fast to put a stop to these callous acts.”

    Mrs. Ovrawah, who urged security agencies to be more proactive and committed in the discharge of their duties, said there is an urgent need to prioritize preventive measures as a way of reducing these attacks.

     

  • NHRC, police pledge improve collaboration on rights abuse

    The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have vowed to ensure improved promotion, protection and enforcement of human rights in the country.

    This formed the fulcrum of a meeting in Abuja on Thursday between the Acting Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah and Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Mustafa.

    NHRC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, in a statement, quoted Ovrawah as saying that the police remained a reliable ally in the fight against human rights violation, because they are the first respondents to victims of rights abuse.

    The Acting NHRC’s Executive Secretary, who received Mustafa in the commission’s headquarters, said the visit of the police team, led by the Police Commissioner afforded both sides the opportunity to work on other areas of partnership between them.

    Mustafa, who hailed Ovrawah’s appointment as the NHRC Ag Executive Secretary, said the Commission has done a lot of work in the area of promotion and protection of human rights in the FCT.