Commission receives 105 complaints of alleged human rights violations
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has received 105 complaints and incidents of alleged human rights violation between March 30 and April 13.
Mr. Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of NHRC, made this known on Wednesday in a report released in Abuja on the incidence of violation of human rights during the previous lockdown.
He said that the incidents were reported from 24 states.
The executive secretary said that Lagos state had the highest recorded cases with 28 incidents followed by the FCT, which has 10 recorded cases.
Ojukwu commended members of the public who actually placed calls and sent-in videos in response to assist 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 by other actors during the initial lockdown.
“It also documents the various thematic areas in which the violations occurred, the nature of the violations, the disaggregated data on states where violations were reported, the agencies of government responsible for the violations as well as the response/action taken to remedy the violations,” he said.
The states covered in the report, Ojukwu said, are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue; Cross Rivers, FCT, Ebonyi Edo; Enugu, Ekiti , Delta Gombe , Imo Kaduna state; Katsina, Kogi, Kwara ,Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger Ogun, Osun, Plateau and Rivers.
He said that Enugu state recorded nine incidents followed by Abia, Delta and Nasarawa states which recorded seven, six and five incidents respectively.
He said further that Rivers state recorded five incidents while Imo state recorded four incidents
He added that Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Kaduna and Ebonyi states respectively, recorded three incidents each, while Kwara, Osun, Benue and Niger states recorded two incidents each.
He also said that Edo, Adamawa, Ogun, Cross River, Kogi, Bayelsa, Katsina and Plateau states recorded one incident each.
“The report shows that complaints were received and documented in the following thematic areas: extra-judicial killings, violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention,
“Seizures/confiscation of properties, sexual and gender based violence, discrimination, torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and extortion.
“There were eight documented incidents of extra-judicial killings leading to 18 deaths.
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“Out of this number, 12 deaths were recorded in Kaduna state, two in Abia state arising from two incidents, while Delta, Niger, Ebonyi and Katsina recorded one death each,” he said.
Ojukwu said that the record speaks volumes of the protocols and rules of engagement for law -enforcement agencies as well as the efficiency level and capacity of law -enforcement agents to deal with civil population.
According to him, it is a sheer display of impunity and reckless disregard for human life in law -enforcement by security personnel.
He revealed that the report showed further that out of the 18 deaths, the Nigeria Correctional Service was responsible for eight deaths while the police was responsible for seven deaths and the Nigeria Army responsible for two deaths.
