Bring hope to forgotten conflicts
10 June 2026
London, UK – The HART Prize for Human Rights has awarded first place to journalist Mike Odeh James for his investigation “Nigeria’s Hidden Gulag: Inside the Rijana Camps”, an exposé documenting alleged mass abductions, detention networks, and survivor testimonies from forest camps in northwestern Nigeria.
Mike’s report places significant new information into the public domain. That this many camps exist as far south as Southern Kaduna – in 2026 – shifts our understanding of Nigeria’s security picture.
The investigation describes alleged large-scale kidnapping operations in and around Rijana Forest in Kaduna State, where survivors recount prolonged captivity, starvation, violence, and the trauma experienced by families forced to pay ransom or endure the disappearance of loved ones.
The testimonies documented in this report underline the urgent need for protection of civilians and accountability for grave abuses. Where entire communities live under the shadow of abduction and violence, silence is not an option.
Second place was awarded to Mary Kiara for “Father’s Agony as Nigeria Denies Airstrike Killed Civilians”, an investigation into alleged civilian casualties following a military airstrike in Niger State and wider concerns over accountability in aerial operations.
A special commendation was given to Lawrence Zongo for work examining conflict reporting and identity narratives in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, including the experiences of Fulani Christian communities and the need for more nuanced and evidence-based journalism.