By Mohammed Mohammed
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Barr Tony Ojukwu, has accused the the Nigeria Police and Army of extra judicial killings 18 Nigerian during the lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Within the period of the lockdown, he said the extra judicial killing has overtaken the combined deaths of 11persons from the virus pandemic.
In a statement, Ojukwu, said 12 deaths we’re recorded in Kaduna State, Abia had 2, while Delta, Niger, Ebonyi and Katsina States recorded 1each.
Ojukwu, said the commission issued directive to it’s staff CSOs and members of the Public on 31st March to document and report to the commission, any security agents violating human rights in their law enforcement duties while enforcing covid-19 regulations.
According to him, hotlines were also circulated by the commission to put this into effect.
He said: “Security agencies were reminded to carry out the enforcement exercise in line with national human rights laws as well as international best practices to ensure that the rights of Nigerians are not unduly violated in the course of carrying out their law enforcement mandate.
“The commission is happy to report that many members of the public actually placed calls and sent videos in response to the call to join hands with the Commission to monitor human rights violations during the covid-19 lockdown period.
“This report therefore documents the various incidents of human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by security agencies and Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) by other actors during the initial lockdown period commencing from 30th March, 2020 to 13th April, 2020.”
According to him, the report shows that a total of 105 complaints were monitored/received from 24 out of the 36 States of the federation including the FCT, namely: Abia, Adamawa; Akwa Ibom; Bayelsa, Benue; Cross Rivers; FCT, Ebonyi State; Edo; Enugu State; Ekiti State; Delta State; Gombe State; Imo State; Kaduna; Katsina; Kogi; Kwara State; Lagos; Nasarawa; Niger State; Ogun; Osun; Plateau and Rivers States.
“Out of 105 complaints/incidents of human rights violation received and documented within the initial lock down period, Lagos State has the highest recorded cases with 28 incidents.
“This is followed by the FCT, Abuja which has 10 recorded cases. Enugu State recorded 9 incidents followed by Abia, Delta and Nasarawa States which recorded 7, 6 and 5 incidents respectively. Rivers State also recorded 5 incidents of human rights violation while Imo recorded 4 incidents.
“Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Kaduna and Ebonyi States recorded 3 incidents each; while Kwara, Osun, Benue and Niger States recorded 2 incidents each. Edo, Adamawa, Ogun, Cross River, Kogi, Bayelsa, Katsina and Plateau States recorded 1 incident each.”
According to him, the report shows that complaints of human rights violations were received and documented in the following thematic areas: extra-judicial killings, violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, seizure/confiscation of properties, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), discrimination, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and extortion.
Ojukwu, said the avoidable deaths were sheer display of impunity and reckless disregard for human life in law enforcement by security personnel.
‘The report further shows that out of the 18 deaths, the Nigeria Correctional Service was responsible for 8 deaths while the Nigeria Police Force was responsible for 7 deaths.
“The Nigeria Army on the other hand was responsible for 2 deaths while the Ebonyi State Task Force on Covid-19, Afikpo South LGA was responsible for 1 death.
“Other types of violations recorded within the period include 33 incidents of torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, 27 incidents of violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, 19 incidents of seizure/confiscation of properties, 13 incidents of extortion, 4 incidents of SGBV, and 1 incident of discrimination in the distribution of food items.
“The report finds that the Nigeria Police Force accounted for about 90% of the total cases of violations followed by the Nigeria Army and Nigeria Correctional Service and other non-state actors.”
The ES said the report also finds that 31 incidents of violations representing about 29% of the complaints have been resolved by different security agencies.
The report according to him, further finds that the various human rights violations recorded during the period arose as a result of excessive or disproportionate use of force, abuse of power, corruption and none adherence to international and national human rights laws and best practices by law enforcement agents.
The Commission, he said is in collaboration with Open society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), The UK Department of Foreign Investment and Development (DFID), The Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation and the Switzerland Embassy have developed an App for the electronic monitoring, documentation and reporting of human rights violations including SGBV.
Accordingly, the Commission will be updating Nigerians with the state of human rights violations and SGBV during covid-19 pandemic on weekly basis throughout the period of the lockdown.