NHRC Boss Dr. Tony Ojukwu Leads Africa-Wide Talks on Prison Reform, Pushes Stronger Protection for Women in Detention

By Toffa Momoh | Abuja

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu, SAN, has called for tougher safeguards for women in detention as he chaired a high-level session at the 4th Annual Conference of the African National Preventive Mechanisms Network in Kigali, Rwanda.

The 3-day conference, held from June 24 to 26, 2026, brought together leading experts from the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, the Association for the Prevention of Torture, National Preventive Mechanisms, National Human Rights Institutions, and civil society organizations across Africa.

Dr. Ojukwu, who also serves as Chairman of Nigeria’s National Preventive Mechanism, led discussions under the theme “Advancing Detention Monitoring in Africa: Regional and Global Perspectives on Prison Conditions and the Protection of Women in Detention.”

In his keynote remarks, he emphasized that consistent and independent monitoring of detention facilities is critical to preventing torture, ill-treatment, and abuse of inmates. He drew attention to the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by women deprived of liberty, noting issues like lack of access to healthcare, hygiene products, and separation from children.

The NHRC boss urged African governments to strengthen their preventive mechanisms and improve oversight of all places of detention, from police cells to correctional centers. He stressed that accountability and transparency must be at the core of prison reforms across the continent.

Dr. Ojukwu also pushed for greater domestication and implementation of international standards, specifically the UN Bangkok Rules which provide guidelines for the treatment of women prisoners, and the Nelson Mandela Rules which set minimum standards for the treatment of all inmates.

The session served as a platform for delegates to share best practices, innovative monitoring tools, and reform strategies aimed at improving prison conditions and upholding the dignity of persons deprived of liberty, with special focus on women and girls.

Nigeria’s active participation and leadership at the conference reinforces the NHRC’s mandate as the country’s National Preventive Mechanism. It highlights the Commission’s commitment to driving torture prevention, improving detention conditions, and strengthening human rights protection in line with both regional African standards and global obligations.

The statement was Signed by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director of Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, NHRC.