Commission
At least, eleven persons were killed extra-judicially in the
three weeks of COVID-19 lockdown extension in Nigeria, a report by
the country’s human rights body said.
Of these 11 extra-judicial killings, Abia State recorded the
highest with four.
An earlier report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
at the end of the first two weeks of the lockdown in the country
had indicated that Nigerian security agents killed 18
people in their enforcement of measures to curb coronavirus, a
figure higher than the documented toll inflicted by the disease as
at that time.
In the new report, the human rights body said it received 104
complaints on human rights violations in the three weeks of the
lockdown extension.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Barr. Tony Ojukwu,
who revealed this in a statement, noted that aside Abia State,
Delta State recorded two deaths, while Niger, Jigawa, Lagos,
Anambra, and Rivers States recorded one death each.
He disclosed that out of the 11 deaths recorded, the police were
responsible for seven, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC), non-state actors and the Abia State Task-Force on
COVID-19 were responsible for one each.
Ojukwu said an investigation was still on-going as at the time
of the report to unravel the perpetrator of the extra-judicial
killing that occurred in Jigawa State.
Aside the extra-judicial killings, other types of violation
recorded within the period include 34 incidents of torture,
inhumane and degrading treatment; 14 incidents of violation of the
right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention; 11
incidents of seizure/confiscation of property, 19 incidents of
extortion and 15 incidents of Sexual and gender-based violence
(SGBV).
The new report, covering between 13th April and 4th May, saw a
reduction from the earlier report which showed that 105 cases of
human rights violations were recorded between 31st March to 13th
April – the initial lockdown period.
The report shows that 104 complaints were received/monitored in
26 out of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
The States are: Abia, Adamawa; Akwa Ibom; Kano; Jigawa; Cross
Rivers; Ebonyi; Edo; Enugu; Ekiti; Delta; Imo; Lagos; Nasarawa;
Niger; Ogun; Osun; Borno; Bayelsa; Kogi; Benue; Anambra; Kaduna;
Gombe; Zamfara and Rivers.
Giving the breakdown of the recorded cases, Ojukwu said 49
complaints were received/documented within the first week of the
extended lockdown period which was from 13th-20th April, while 33
complaints were received during the 2nd week which was from
20th-27th April while 23 complaints were received during the 3rd
week which was from 27th April-4th May.
He said the reduction showed an improvement of the state of
human rights in the enforcement of COVID-19 regulations by law
enforcement officers, task forces on COVID-19 and other non-state
actors.
Ojukwu noted that the reduction of human rights violations was
attributed to the level of awareness created by the commission
following the release of its initial report of 14 April as well as
efforts to ensure accountability and adherence to the rules of
engagement on the part of law enforcement agencies.
He lamented that Enugu State had the highest recorded cases with
13 incidents based on the report.
Ojukwu said that the next State with the highest record was Imo
with 12 while Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa States recorded 10 incidents
each, and Delta and Abia States recorded nine and seven incidents
respectively.
He added that Lagos State recorded five cases, an improvement on
the 28 recorded in the previous report.
The FCT and Benue States recorded four cases each while Niger,
Zamfara, Osun and Rivers States recorded three incidents each.
Commission
At least, eleven persons were killed extra-judicially in the
three weeks of COVID-19 lockdown extension in Nigeria, a report by
the country’s human rights body said.
Of these 11 extra-judicial killings, Abia State recorded the
highest with four.
An earlier report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
at the end of the first two weeks of the lockdown in the country
had indicated that Nigerian security agents killed 18
people in their enforcement of measures to curb coronavirus, a
figure higher than the documented toll inflicted by the disease as
at that time.
In the new report, the human rights body said it received 104
complaints on human rights violations in the three weeks of the
lockdown extension.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Barr. Tony Ojukwu,
who revealed this in a statement, noted that aside Abia State,
Delta State recorded two deaths, while Niger, Jigawa, Lagos,
Anambra, and Rivers States recorded one death each.
He disclosed that out of the 11 deaths recorded, the police were
responsible for seven, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps (NSCDC), non-state actors and the Abia State Task-Force on
COVID-19 were responsible for one each.
Ojukwu said an investigation was still on-going as at the time
of the report to unravel the perpetrator of the extra-judicial
killing that occurred in Jigawa State.
Aside the extra-judicial killings, other types of violation
recorded within the period include 34 incidents of torture,
inhumane and degrading treatment; 14 incidents of violation of the
right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention; 11
incidents of seizure/confiscation of property, 19 incidents of
extortion and 15 incidents of Sexual and gender-based violence
(SGBV).
The new report, covering between 13th April and 4th May, saw a
reduction from the earlier report which showed that 105 cases of
human rights violations were recorded between 31st March to 13th
April – the initial lockdown period.
The report shows that 104 complaints were received/monitored in
26 out of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
The States are: Abia, Adamawa; Akwa Ibom; Kano; Jigawa; Cross
Rivers; Ebonyi; Edo; Enugu; Ekiti; Delta; Imo; Lagos; Nasarawa;
Niger; Ogun; Osun; Borno; Bayelsa; Kogi; Benue; Anambra; Kaduna;
Gombe; Zamfara and Rivers.
Giving the breakdown of the recorded cases, Ojukwu said 49
complaints were received/documented within the first week of the
extended lockdown period which was from 13th-20th April, while 33
complaints were received during the 2nd week which was from
20th-27th April while 23 complaints were received during the 3rd
week which was from 27th April-4th May.
He said the reduction showed an improvement of the state of
human rights in the enforcement of COVID-19 regulations by law
enforcement officers, task forces on COVID-19 and other non-state
actors.
Ojukwu noted that the reduction of human rights violations was
attributed to the level of awareness created by the commission
following the release of its initial report of 14 April as well as
efforts to ensure accountability and adherence to the rules of
engagement on the part of law enforcement agencies.
He lamented that Enugu State had the highest recorded cases with
13 incidents based on the report.
Ojukwu said that the next State with the highest record was Imo
with 12 while Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa States recorded 10 incidents
each, and Delta and Abia States recorded nine and seven incidents
respectively.
He added that Lagos State recorded five cases, an improvement on
the 28 recorded in the previous report.
The FCT and Benue States recorded four cases each while Niger,
Zamfara, Osun and Rivers States recorded three incidents each.