The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission of Nigeria, also known as the Oputa Panel, was a commission that was developed following the collapse of the military dictatorship that controlled Nigeria until 1998. It was created by Olusegun Obasanjo, the newly elected President of Nigeria, in 1999. Its mandate was to investigate human rights during the period of military rule from 1984 to 1999. In terms of reconciliation, the commission also worked towards unifying communities previously in conflict. The commission submitted its final report to President Obasanjo in 2002, but the government has not taken any action to date. Its report was not released to the public until 2005, when it was published by two activist groups, the Nigerian Democratic Movement and Nigeria-based Civil Society Forum. Background Nigeria was under British rule up until 1960. After independence, there were many internal conflicts within the country that limited Nigeria’s ability to consolidate. The country was divided along religious and ethnic lines which led to mass killings and eventually, a full civil war that would last until 1970. With Nigeria under the control of a military dictatorship following the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état, other coups continued to take place. General Ibrahim Babangida, the head of the military juntas beginning in 1985, was forced out of power in 1993 due to the riots throughout the country following his decision to cancel the election. Under Defense Minister Sani Abacha, who took his place as president, violence continued. Abacha was accused of extensive human rights violations. After his death in 1998, an election saw Olusegun Obasanjo take power. Obasanjo embarked on reforms including the creation of the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission. Mandate When first called into action, The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission's main focus was human rights violations and cases of abuse under Nigeria's military regime between 1984 and 1999. The commission was also mandated to work towards reconciliation of the various communities and groups of people present in Nigeria that were in conflict with one another when under the military regime. Its investigation was to be carried out and completed over the course of three months. Over a period of time however, the commission shifted its main focus to "gross human rights violations" and demanded more time to carry out its investigation and to extend the period under investigation to include the events which occurred from 1966 to 1990. Process After this commission