The conference also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, civil society organisations, communities and development partners to promote early warning systems, conflict prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Human rights advocates, lawyers, civil society organisations, traditional leaders and development partners have warned that insecurity in Nigeria's South-East cannot be solved through force alone.
The stakeholders which stated this during the launch of the Southeast Human Rights Bureau (SEHRB), called for an end to torture, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, enforced disappearances and other alleged human rights violations in the region
The resolutions were reached at the end of a two-day regional conference held on July 23 and 24, 2026, in Enugu and organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), South-East-based civil society organisations, human rights institutions and development partners, with support from the Ford Foundation.
Participants said the establishment of the bureau was a direct response to resolutions reached during the Southeast Stakeholders' Summit on Peace and Security and Public Hearing on Human Rights Violations held in Enugu in February 2025.
According to the conference communiqué, released on Tuesday, stakeholders concluded that the worsening insecurity across the five South-East states had exposed widespread allegations of arbitrary arrests, torture, unlawful detention, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, shrinking civic space and gender-based violence.
They argued that while governments have a constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, security operations that disregard human rights only deepen public distrust, fuel grievances and ultimately undermine peace they seek to establish and maintained.
The participants therefore resolved that sustainable security in the South-East must be built on justice, accountability, respect for constitutional rights and inclusive governance rather than relying solely on military and law enforcement operations.
To achieve this, they formally inaugurated the Southeast Human Rights Bureau as a permanent regional institution to coordinate human rights monitoring, documentation, strategic litigation, advocacy and collaboration among civil society groups, lawyers, journalists, researchers, traditional rulers, public institutions and development partners.
The conference also unveiled an Open-Source Reporting Platform designed to enable victims and human rights defenders to securely document alleged abuses, preserve digital evidence, verify incidents, identify patterns of violations and support litigation and policy reforms.
Participants stressed that credible documentation would strengthen accountability by ensuring that allegations of abuses are backed by verifiable evidence capable of supporting judicial and institutional interventions.
They further endorsed the establishment of a Strategic Litigation and Class Action Initiative to provide legal remedies for victims of serious human rights violations and hold alleged perpetrators accountable through the courts.
The conference also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, government institutions, civil society organisations, communities and development partners to promote early warning systems, conflict prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes.
Participants underwent specialised training on digital documentation, open-source investigations, digital security, evidence preservation and ethical reporting to strengthen regional capacity for monitoring human rights violations.
In his welcome address, RULAAC Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the bureau represented the implementation of one of the most important recommendations adopted at the 2025 regional summit.
According to him, experience has shown that "lasting security cannot be achieved through force alone."
He said, "Sustainable peace requires accountable institutions, respect for constitutional rights, effective governance, citizen participation and public confidence in state institutions."
Nwanguma explained that the bureau would coordinate documentation of violations, facilitate strategic litigation, support victims' access to justice, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and generate credible evidence to support policy reforms.
He added that the Open-Source Reporting Platform would improve the quality of documentation while providing an early warning mechanism capable of supporting advocacy and institutional accountability.
The chairman of the event, Very Rev. Monsignor Prof. Obiora Ike, described the bureau as "a timely and courageous response" to the region's worsening human rights and governance challenges.
Quoting St. Augustine, he said, "Without justice, a state is nothing more than a band of robbers."
He warned that insecurity, organised crime, kidnappings, communal violence and corruption had weakened public confidence in government institutions across the region.
According to him, "Peace cannot exist in the absence of justice."
Prof. Ike urged the bureau to become "more than a documentation centre," saying it should evolve into a credible regional institution capable of promoting accountability, supporting victims, generating evidence for policy reforms and strengthening civic participation.
He challenged participants to move beyond discussions by applying the knowledge acquired during the programme within their communities.
Delivering the keynote address, former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (SAN), emphasised that respect for human rights remains central to democratic governance and lasting peace.
Representing the Ford Foundation, Oumar N'Diaye congratulated the organisers for establishing what he described as an important platform for promoting justice and accountability.
He noted that sustainable peace and development cannot be achieved where citizens lack confidence in institutions responsible for protecting their rights.
N'Diaye also acknowledged the increasingly difficult operating environment facing civil society organisations, including shrinking civic space and declining international funding, but expressed optimism that stronger partnerships would sustain the initiative.
Similarly, the Prisoners' Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) said constitutional guarantees alone are insufficient unless institutions possess both the capacity and commitment to enforce them.
Its representative, Chioma Anuna, speaking on behalf of Executive Director Dr. Uju Agomoh, identified community-based monitoring, professional documentation and stronger collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations and security agencies as priorities for the new bureau.
The National Human Rights Commission also welcomed the initiative, describing regional collaboration as critical to strengthening accountability and protecting citizens' rights.
Participants concluded by reaffirming their commitment to building a coordinated regional network dedicated to protecting human rights, promoting accountability, supporting victims, strengthening democratic governance and ensuring that security operations in the South-East comply with constitutional and international human rights standards.
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