NHRC, Partners Hold Two-Day Training on Human Rights-Based Migration Approach

By Toffa Momoh I Abuja

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, has called for the full mainstreaming of human rights into migration governance, insisting that all policies, laws, and practices must be anchored on the principles of human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination.

Dr. Ojukwu made the call at a two-day training for members of the National Working Group on Human Rights and Migration (NWG-HRM) held in Keffi, Nasarawa State. He was represented by the Director, Vulnerable Groups Department, Mr. Dahiru Bobbo.

The Executive Secretary stated that the Commission’s position flows directly from its statutory mandate to investigate complaints, monitor compliance with human rights standards, and advise government on policies affecting the rights of all persons within Nigeria’s territory.

He stressed that migration governance must guarantee due process, protect migrants from exploitation and abuse, and ensure accountability wherever violations occur. Migrants, irrespective of status, are rights-holders entitled to justice, humane treatment, and protection from discrimination.

Dr. Ojukwu urged members of the Working Group to deepen inter-agency cooperation and build partnerships that embed human rights at every stage of migration management.

He commended the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNODC, PROMIS, and other development partners for their sustained collaboration under the PROMIS project, and encouraged participants to translate the training into practical, implementable actions that make migration governance in Nigeria rights-based and effective.

In her remarks, the Senior Human Rights Adviser to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms. Adwoa Kufuor Owusu, commended the NHRC for its leadership as Chair and Secretariat of the NWG-HRM.

She noted that the platform remains a critical space where institutions and partners converge to strengthen coordination and ensure that human rights guide migration-related decisions.

She explained that the training was designed to strengthen the Working Group’s coordination and operational processes, support the finalisation and implementation of its workplan, and enhance members’ capacity to apply the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) in daily migration work.

She urged participants to share institutional experiences openly and focus on concrete outcomes.

During the technical sessions, Mr. Dahiru Bobbo led participants through key international and regional instruments, including relevant United Nations and African Union conventions to which Nigeria is a party.

He emphasised that these frameworks are not abstract ideals but legal safeguards that impose obligations on the State to protect migrants and their families.

He highlighted the principle of equal treatment and illustrated how rights to access to justice, protection from discrimination, and humane treatment apply to all migrants without distinction.

Also speaking, Deputy Director, Vulnerable Groups Department, Ms. Jennifer Suoyo Aga provided an overview of Nigeria’s migration governance framework and policies.

She noted that the training seeks to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, improve implementation of migration laws, and ensure Nigeria meets its international obligations. She stressed that safeguarding the rights of migrants and preventing abuse within migration systems must be treated as core governance responsibilities, not as peripheral concerns.

Associate Programme Officer at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ms. Georgina Atu Umaru, drew attention to the growing concerns around trafficking in persons (TiP) and smuggling of migrants (SoM).

She stated that exploitation, including forced labour and sexual exploitation, remains the ultimate goal of trafficking and must be confronted through stronger legal and institutional responses.

Referencing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and Article 3(a) of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, she explained that smuggling involves the procurement of illegal entry for financial or material gain. She called for enhanced cooperation among stakeholders to dismantle criminal networks and protect victims.

Contributing from an operational perspective, Chief Superintendent of Immigration Otitoloju Kazeem of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) provided insights into procedures at Nigeria’s entry and exit points.

He outlined the processes migrants undergo at border posts and stressed that improved synergy among relevant agencies would significantly strengthen both border management and the protection of migrants’ rights.

Participants were urged to deepen their understanding of international and national human rights frameworks and to apply them within their respective institutions to improve migration governance outcomes.