The United Nations set out 10th of December to recognize and celebrate human rights globally. On the other hand, Nigeria has maintained a consistent history of human rights abuses in its chequered constitutional development. As the world celebrates yet another year for human rights, the recent events in Nigeria have again raised concerns for the future of human rights in Nigeria. This research paper takes an overview of the observance and protection of human rights in Nigeria from inception to date. The research assessed the successive governments, inclusive of military regimes performance on human rights and concluded that the nation is yet to extricate itself from the shackles of perennial human rights abuse. The research will proffer recommendations on the improvement of respect for human rights in Nigeria.