Rights oriented body, Social Action has reassured victims and petitioners participating in its ongoing People’s Tribunal in Port Harcourt that their grievances will be transformed into sustained, evidence-based advocacy for justice and accountability.
The Executive Director of Social Action, Dr. Isaac Osuoka, gave the assurance at the opening of the three-day tribunal organised in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Dr. Osuoka represented by Programme Coordinator Isaac Boti, said the tribunal was convened against a backdrop of persistent human rights violations, security-related abuses, and environmental injustices across Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta.
He noted that many victims are unable to seek justice due to poverty, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and weak institutional response.
“Our citizens are too often forced to endure arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, police brutality, and environmental degradation. Yet, most victims remain unheard,” he said.
“This tribunal is a civic, participatory platform designed to amplify their voices and document patterns of abuse for legal and institutional follow-up.”
According to him, the tribunal will adopt a semi-judicial process, taking testimonies and evidence from victims, community representatives and witnesses, before jurors drawn from the legal, academic and civil society sectors. Security agencies, including the Police, NSCDC and Nigerian Army, are also attending as observers.
He added that findings and recommendations from the tribunal will be compiled into a formal report to be submitted to relevant authorities, including the NHRC, and will inform litigation efforts through partners such as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and FIDA.
Explaining the motivation for the initiative, Boti said years of engagement at the grassroots had revealed widespread injustices that never reach the formal justice system.
“We decided to bring justice to the communities. Many victims are too poor to pursue cases through conventional means. The tribunal creates a direct platform for them to engage institutions that can help them seek redress,” he stressed.
Vice Chairman of the NBA Port Harcourt Branch and Chairman of the Tribunal Panel, Barr. Emmanuel John, said the NBA was participating because the initiative aligns with the rule of law. He described the tribunal as a fact-finding and mediation mechanism that can guide victims on appropriate legal steps after the proceedings.
“We cannot pass judgments, but we can advise, mediate, and help victims pursue justice through proper channels. Many of the cases presented today have merit, and if victims follow the guidance provided, they stand a good chance of obtaining justice.”
The NBA, he noted, will offer pro bono services to indigent victims whole rights have been violated, urging Social Action to intensify public enlightenment so citizens understand their rights and available legal remedies.
Among the petitioners was Barine Pretty, a domestic violence victim who appealed for the tribunal’s intervention after her husband allegedly abandoned and verbally abused her over her inability to conceive after 12 years of marriage. She asked that he be compelled to formally release her from the marriage and provide compensation.
Another petitioner, Damian Gbogbara, representing farmers and fishermen from Bodo City in Gokana LGA, urged the tribunal to direct Shell now operating as Renaissance to decommission obsolete oil facilities in their community. He insisted that continued oil extraction without addressing environmental damage amounted to a violation of their rights.
Anna Lesom, a mother of two, pleaded with the panel to compel her husband who abandoned the family for over 12 years to resume responsibility for his children’s welfare. She lamented that one of her children had been sent home for unpaid school fees and that they often struggled to feed.
So far, Social Action says 15 petitions have been received, with seven heard on the first day and more expected before the tribunal concludes.
