The National Human Rights Commission NHRC has alleged that at least 18 Nigerians have been killed during the lockdown period across several cities in Nigeria.
According to the human rights commission, security agents in the country including the Army, Police and Civil Defence killed the civilians while enforcing the Lockdown order put in place by the Federal and State governments to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The Commission stated this in a report it prepared on the first phase of the lockdown before it was extended by President Buhari. The report covers the period between March 30 and April 13.
Lagos, Ogun and the FCT has been put on a lockdown through an order of the Federal Government while Delta, Osun, Kano, Kaduna and Rivers are on a state ordered lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 in parts of the country.
The NHRC said it received 105 petitions relating to violation of rights by security agents from 24 states across the country during the period.
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It said the complaints were received from Edo, Enugu, Ekiti, Delta, Imo, Gombe, Kaduna, Lagos, FCT, Enugu, Imo, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Cross Rivers, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun and Plateau States.
The human rights commission said the documented reports include cases of extra judicial killings, violations of freedom of movement rights, unlawful arrests and detention, illegal seizure/confiscation of property, sexual and gender based violence, discrimination, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and extortion.
According to the NHRC, while the COVID-19 pandemic has killed 11 people so far, security agencies have killed 18 people while enforcing lockdown regulations to curb the pandemic.
“This speaks volumes of the protocols and rules of engagement for our law enforcement as well the efficiency level and capacity of law enforcement agents to deal with civil population,” the commission concluded.
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