The Summary of activities carried out by the Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) in the Year 2025 in Nigeria as part of its ongoing efforts to Deepening Democracy in Nigeria presented in a Press Conference by the Director of CHRAN, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, on Monday, 28th December, 2025 at the CHRAN Conference Hall, No.15 Akpa Ubeh Street, Off Babangida Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to mark the end of the year.
Protocol,
- Police Third Party Insurance enforcement:
The CHRAN engaged the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare
during the Nationwide enforcement of the Third Party Insurance on 1st February, 2025, to ensure that the exercise was carried out without violation of rights of vehicle owners in Akwa Ibom State by the enforcement team of the Nigerian Police Force, Akwa Ibom State Command. The CHRAN can assert that the exercise was done without violation of rights of vehicle owners across Akwa Ibom State and was monitored by the CHRAN. - Tinted Glass Permit enforcement:
The CHRAN is engaging the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare on the Nationwide enforcement of the vehicle Tinted Glass Permit in the face of the ongoing litigation between the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Police Force on the matter. It is our Center’s position that once a matter is in court, all parties should stay action on the subject matter before the Court. We believe as a responsible law enforcement agency, the Nigerian Police Force will not take any action that will affect the subject matter before the court. - Demand for transparency and accountability in EMOIMEE Eket Chapter
In a letter dated November 19th, 2025, the CHRAN had written to the Board of Trustees Representative, NNPC/SEPLAT JV, EMOIMEE Eket Chapter requesting for the following information in line with Section 3 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011: - The full list of projects executed by the EMOIMEE in Eket Local Government Area and their locations;
- The full list of scholarships by EMOIMEE in Eket Local Government Area and their beneficiaries;
- The full list of contractors engaged by EMOIMEE in Eket Local Government Area with copies of their Corporate Affairs Commission registration certificates, and any other locally targeted interventions carried out by EMOIMEE Eket Chapter since inception. Our letter was based on complaints received from Eket people on the alleged lack of transparency and accountability of the agency in the Eket Local Government Area.
- Tour of projects executed by EMOIMEE Mkpat Enin LGA:
On 29th July, 2025, the CHRAN carried out accountability and fact-finding project tour to track and verify all projects executed by EMOIMEE Mkpat Enin Chapter. The exercise was done based on complaints received by the Center from Mkpat Enin people to ensure transparency and accountability of the EMOIMEE Mkpat Enin Chapter. The Mkpat Enin Representative of EMOIMEE, Rev. Obot Ekanem conducted the CHRAN team round EMOIMEE’s projects across Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The CHRAN commended the EMOIMEE Mkpat Enin Chapter for the transparency and accountability in projects delivery for the people of Mkpat Enin Local Government Area. - Tour of projects facilitated by Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal House of Representatives Member:
On 4th June, 2025, the CHRAN carried out accountability and fact-finding project tour to track and verify all projects facilitated by the Member Representing Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Abuja, Rt. Hon. (Barr.) Ime Bassey Okon for his constituents in Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal constituency. The Center was satisfied with the performance of the Lawmaker in the National Assembly. The tour was part of CHRAN’s core mandate to holding public office holders accountable to the people. - Advocacy on Potholes-free Roads in Akwa Ibom State:
On 1st January, 2025, the CHRAN started an advocacy to ensure a zero pothole on the Roads and Streets of Akwa Ibom State, Uyo metropolis inclusive. The Center is appalled that despite the directive by His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., to the Ministry of Works and Fire Services and other relevant agencies on 25th October, 2025, that potholes be cleared and road repairs carried out on Akwa Ibom State Roads, no action has been taken till this moment. - Advocacy to ensure timely evacuation of Waste in Uyo Metropolis:
On 1st January, 2025, the CHRAN started an advocacy to ensure timely evacuation of waste on the streets and roads of Uyo metropolis. The Center is appalled on the daily increasing of waste on the streets and roads of Uyo metropolis. The Center calls for an overhaul of the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency to ensure efficiency and competency. - The Performance of Local Government Administration in Akwa Ibom State:
The CHRAN’s advocacy for grassroots development and good governance through the local government administration appears not to yield sufficient result as most local government councils are poverty centers due to lack of development and public infrastructure. While the CHRAN commends the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., for repeatedly asserting in different public fora that his administration has not touched the monthly federal allocations accruable to the 31 local governments in the state, the Center calls on the Governor to embark on tour of the 31 local government areas in the first quarter of 2026, to ascertain how these humongous funds are used by the council chairmen and to assess their level of performance in their local governments, including to have firsthand information if the council chairmen are residing in their local government. - June 12 Annual Public Lecture:
The CHRAN organised its June 12 Annual Public Lecture to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day on Friday, 13th June, 2025 with the theme: “The Role of Opposition Parties in Deepening Democracy.” The event took place at the CHRAN Conference Hall in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The essence was to commemorate Democracy Day with reflections on Nigeria’s democratic journey and the importance of a vibrant opposition in deepening democratic governance. The event had 180 civil society groups in attendance. - The 2025 Annual Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Conference:
The CHRAN organised its Annual Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Conference on Monday, 6th October, 2025 with the theme: “The State of Local Government Administration in Nigeria using the Akwa Ibom State as a Case Study.” The event took place at the CHRAN Conference Hall in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The key area of focus was local government autonomy and governance affecting the grassroots levels. Constitutional and policy reform recommendations such as financial autonomy and legislative oversight. Community development challenges and the roles of local government councils; enhanced accountability and transparency in resource use and grassroots service delivery; critical assessment of local government administration, transparency and accountability etc. The participants were drawn from 180 civil society groups and human rights organisations across Nigeria. - Regular engagements with law enforcement agencies:
The CHRAN regularly engages the law enforcement agencies in Akwa Ibom State to ensure that human rights of citizens in the State are not violated in the cause of discharging their duties. The Center is satisfied that in 2025, the Center has not received petitions and complaints concerning human rights violations against any law enforcement agency in the State. The Center will continue to engage the security agencies in the State. - Police Security Stakeholders Meeting:
On Monday, 24th November, 2025, the CHRAN through its Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, attended a high-level Stakeholders Security Meeting organised by the Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, at the Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The meeting was to review the state’s security situation, strengthen collaboration with community leaders and stakeholders, and to urge communities to actively expose criminal elements to sustain peace and safety in Akwa Ibom State. - The CHRAN participation in Public Hearings of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly:
The CHRAN participated in several public hearings on Bills organised by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and made useful inputs on those Bills before they are passed by the State House of Assembly. - The 2026 Appropriation Bill:
The CHRAN had during the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly public hearing on the 2026 Appropriation Bill held on Monday, 8th December, 2025 at the Luton Park Hotels, No. 1 Unity Park Road, off Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State advocated the scrapping of redundant and ineffective agencies in the state, such as; the Akwa Ibom Life Enhancement Agency, Akwa Ibom Urban Taxi Network Limited, Akwa Ibom State Roads and Other Infrastructure Maintenance Agency, Akwa Ibom State Rural Access Roads Agency, Akwa Ibom State Rural Access Roads Funds (SFR), while the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency should be overhauled to ensure efficiency and service delivery. The Center stated that the Akwa Ibom State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board which was established in 1993 by the Yakubu Bako Military Administration exists in violation of Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which prohibits the Government of the Federation or of a State from adopting any religion as State religion. The Center advocated the scrapping of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board in compliance with the Nigerian Constitution. The CHRAN’s investigation reveals that the building housing the Akwa Ibom State Library Board at Udotung Ubo Street in Uyo was built and stocked about half a century ago by the then Military Administration in the defunct South Eastern State. The Center notes that the decrepit building and its facilities are begging for a complete overhaul. The Center notes that the building housing the Akwa Ibom State Library Board is an eyesore even as the E-Library at Babangida Avenue, Uyo has been shut and replaced by an apprenticeship centre. The CHRAN is perturbed that there is no functional State Library in Uyo Metropolis or anywhere else in Akwa Ibom State. - Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit:
The CHRAN advocated for the upgrading of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, Nsit Ibom, Akwa Ibom State to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit. The Center notes with satisfaction that the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., has during the Akwa Ibom State Executive Council of Monday, 13th October, 2025, approved the upgrading of the College to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit in order to strengthen teacher education and human capital development in the State. - The 2025 Christmas Village:
The CHRAN sought transparency in the handling of the Christmas Village. The Center notes that the 2025 Christmas Village has been politicised, monitised and hijacked by powerful politicians, leaving out the downtrodden, the students, and widows in the State. The Center notes that the original essence of the Akwa Ibom Christmas was to touch the lives of the poorest of the poor in the state. The Center notes that the owners of shops and spaces in the 2025 Christmas Village are majorly from Uyo local government area. The Center calls for a more transparent and accountable process of allocation of shops and spaces in the Christmas Village in future exercises. The Center is against the use of the name “Christmas Unplugged”, because it does not reflect the local setting of the original concept of the Christmas Village. - Demand for accountability from state and National Assembly Lawmakers:
The CHRAN demanded accountability from the State and National Assembly Lawmakers from Akwa Ibom State. The Center notes that only a few of the state and Federal Lawmakers have performed in the year under review. The Center urged them to up the standards of their performance in lawmaking, representation and legislation. - Bid Opening:
As part of ensuring transparency and accountability in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007, the CHRAN participated in several Bid Opening exercises organised by the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi (FUTIA) in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. - Ikot Ekpene General Hospital:
The CHRAN through its Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong was appointed into the Committee Investigating the Maternal Mortality in Ikot Ekpene General Hospital by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, Ph.D., through the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem John. - EMOIMEE 2025 Annual Conference:
The CHRAN through its Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong participated in the 2025 Annual Conference of EMOIMEE held in Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom State. The CHRAN presented a goodwill message at the event. - Restriction of Ekpo Masquerade:
The CHRAN is in support of the regulation of activities of Ekpo Masquerades in Akwa Ibom State. The Center believes that criminal elements have hijacked the culture of Ekpo Masquerades to carry out their criminal activities. - Rivers State Emergency Rule:
The CHRAN condemned the suspension of democratic institutions in Rivers state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by declaring a State of Emergency on 18th March, 2025 using Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). The Center believes that the judgement of the Supreme Court in the matter delivered on 15th December, 2025, is far from deepening our democracy. - Awards and commendations:
The CHRAN through its Director, Otuekong Franklyn Isong received several awards and commendations from groups and institutions including the Department of State Services (DSS); the Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) University of Uyo, Chapter; Justice Nsima Akpabio Chambers, University of Uyo, Chapter; Prof. Enefiok Essien Chambers, University of Uyo, among several others.
