The National Human Rights Commission has said that security operatives enforcing the lockdown order in parts of Nigeria have killed 18 people while Coronavirus has taken only 11 lives so far in the country.
The commission revealed this on Wednesday in Abuja in a report assessing the enforcement of Covid-19 and incidents of violation of human rights over the last two weeks.
The report berated the recklessness and impunity of law enforcement agents and total disregard for protocols and rules of engagement in dealing with civil population.
The report signed by the Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, said, “There were eight documented incidents of extra-judicial killing leading to 18 deaths.
“Out of this number, 12 deaths were recorded in Kaduna State. Abia State also recorded two deaths arising from two incidents; while Delta, Niger, Ebonyi and Katsina states recorded one death each.
“Whereas COVID-19 has led to the death of about 11 patients to date, law enforcement agents have extra-judicially executed 18 persons to enforce the regulations.”
The report further added that out of the 18 deaths, the Nigeria Correctional Service was responsible for eight deaths while the Nigeria Police Force was responsible for seven deaths.
The Nigeria Army on the other hand was responsible for two deaths while the Ebonyi State Task Force on COVID-19, Afikpo South LGA was responsible for one death.
The report also stated that Nigeria Police Force accounted for 90 per cent of the total cases of violations followed by the Nigeria Army and Nigeria Correctional Service and other non-state actors.
The commission stated that Lagos State had the highest recorded cases with 28 incidents out of 105 complaints of human rights violation received and documented nationwide.
