NHRC consortium launches network to monitor religious freedom in Nigeria

A consortium including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), The Kukah Centre (TKC), and Nasrul-Lahi-il-Fatih Society (NASFAT) has launched a network to monitor, document, and report violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Nigeria.

Funded by the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), the initiative aims to establish a systematic process for verifying allegations and guiding victims toward appropriate redress. Project Coordinator Halima Oyedele stated that the goal is to prevent baseless allegations and address genuine cases at the grassroots level before they escalate into conflict.

Data from a project survey in Kano and Ebonyi states indicates a significant gap in reporting; while approximately 60 per cent of respondents reported experiencing religious rights violations, only about 20 per cent reported these cases to authorities. Officials noted that a lack of trust and insufficient documentation contribute to this low reporting rate.