NHRC receives 105 rights violation complaints

 Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it has received 105 complaints of rights violation, including extra-judicial killings by security agents in its effort to enforce the lockdown imposed by governments across the country.

It said of the 105 complaints received from 24 states, eight related to incidence of extra-judicial killing, leading to 18 deaths.

“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 (April 14), law enforcement agents have extra-judicially executed 18 persons to enforce the regulations.

“This speaks volumes of the protocols and rules of engagement for our law enforcement as well as the efficiency level and capacity of law enforcement agents to deal with the civil population.

“It’s a sheer display of impunity and reckless disregard for human life in law enforcement by security personnel.

“The report further shows that of the 18 deaths, the Nigeria Correctional Service was responsible for eight deaths, while the Nigeria Police Force was responsible for seven deaths.

“The Army on the other hand was responsible for two deaths, while the Ebonyi State Task Force on Covid-19, Afikpo South Local Government, was responsible for one death.

“Other types of violations recorded within the period included 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, four incidents of SGBV, and one incident of discrimination in the distribution of food items,” the commission said.

NHRC’s Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu, in a statement, gave a breakdown of states distribution of the complaints and the steps being taken by his agency.

He said his agency got complaints from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Ekiti and Delta states.

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Others, he said, included Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Plateau and Rivers states.

He said a report of analysis of the complaints received within the first two weeks of the lockdown showed that Lagos State has the highest recorded cases with 28 incidents, followed by the FCT, which has 10 recorded cases.

“Enugu State recorded nine incidents, followed by Abia, Delta and Nasarawa states, which recorded seven, six and five incidents. Rivers State also recorded five incidents of human rights violation, while Imo recorded four incidents.

“Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Gombe, Kaduna and Ebonyi states recorded three incidents each; while Kwara, Osun, Benue and Niger states recorded two incidents each.

“Edo, Adamawa, Ogun, Cross River, Kogi, Bayelsa, Katsina and Plateau states recorded one incident each.

“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.

“The report finds that the Nigeria Police Force accounted for about 90 per cent of the total cases of violations, followed by the Army and Nigeria Correctional Service and other non-state actors.

“The report also finds that 31 incidents of violations, representing about 29 per cent of the complaints, have been resolved by security agencies.

“The report further finds that the human rights violations recorded during the period arose as a result of excessive or disproportionate use of force, abuse of power, corruption and non-adherence to international and national human rights laws and best practices by law enforcement agents.

“The commission 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 has 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 a weekly basis throughout the period of the lockdown.”