*Most violations led to extra-judicial killing
*S/East worst hit
By Myke Uzendu and Ralph Ezepue
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday published its report on human rights violations in the month of April, 2020, with the South-East witnessing the highest form of such violations in the country.
In the report which was signed by the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Barr. Tony Ojukwu, it received a total of 37 reports in the two weeks spanning April 27th to May 4th, 2020, in the South-East zone.
This was followed by the South-South where 28 complaints were lodged, North-Central with 21 reports, North-West and South-West with nine reports each, while it received only four reports from the North-East zone.
According to the report: “A total of 104 complaints were monitored/received from 27 out of the 36 States of the federation including the FCT, namely: Abia, Adamawa; Akwa Ibom; Kano; Jigawa; Cross Rivers; Ebonyi; Edo; Enugu; Ekiti; Delta; Imo; Lagos; Nasarawa; Niger; Ogun; Osun; Borno; Bayelsa; kogi; Benue; Anambra; Kaduna; Gombe; Zamfara and Rivers States.
“This shows a reduction in the total number of complaints on human rights violations received/documented by the Commission from 105 (as contained in the first report released by the Commission on 14th April, 2020) for a period of 2 weeks (i.e from 30th March – 13th April, 2020) to 104 complaints for a period of three (3) weeks (i.e from 13th April – 4th May, 2020).
“This shows an improvement of the state of human rights in the enforcement of Covid 19 Regulations by law enforcement officers, Task Forces on Covid 19 and other non-state actors.
“This improvement is attributed to the level of awareness created by the Commission following the release of its initial report of 14/4/2020 as well as efforts to ensure accountability and adherence to the rules of engagement on the part of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs).
“Out of 104 complaints/incidents of human rights violations received and documented within the period, 49 complaints were received/documented within the first week of the extended lockdown period (i.e. from 13th – 20th April, 2020); while 33 complaints were received during the 2nd week (i.e. from 20th – 27th April, 2020). During the 3rd week (i.e from 27th April – 4th May, 2020), only 23 complaints/incidents were received/documented by the Commission.
“The report also shows that Enugu State has the highest recorded cases with 13 incidents unlike Lagos State that had the highest cases with 28 incidents in the earlier Report released on 14/4/2020 by the Commission.
“This is followed by Imo State which had 12 incidents. Akwa Ibom and Nasarawa States recorded 10 incidents each, while Delta and Abia States recorded nine and seven incidents respectively.
“Lagos State recorded five cases, while FCT Abuja and Benue States recorded four cases each.
“This is followed by Niger, Zamfara, Osun and Rivers States with 3 incidents each.
“Other states such as Anambra, Jigawa, Bayelsa and Edo States recorded 2 incidents each; while Ogun, Kogi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Kano, Cross River and Ekiti States recorded 1 incident each”.
The report indicated that it was an update to the earlier report on the state of human rights violations monitored by the NHRC following the declaration of the Covid-19 lockdown for the initial period of 31st March to 13 April 2020.
Reviewing the thematic areas, Barr. Ojukwu disclosed that the complaints centered mainly on “extra-judicial killings, violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, seizure/confiscation of properties, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), torture, inhumane and degrading treatment and extortion”.
He noted that “there were 11 documented incidents of extra-judicial killing leading to 11 deaths.
“Out of this number, four deaths were recorded in Abia State alone. Delta State recorded two deaths, while Niger, Jigawa, Lagos, Anambra and Rivers States recorded one death each.
“The report further shows that out of the 11 deaths, the Nigeria Police Force was responsible for seven deaths, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Non-state Actors and the Abia State Task Force on Covid–19 were responsible for one death each”.
Other types of violation recorded within the period include “34 incidents of torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, 14 incidents of violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, 11 incidents of seizure/confiscation of properties, 19 incidents of extortion and 15 incidents of SGBV.
“The report finds that the Nigeria Police Force accounted for 59.6% of the total cases of violations followed by Non-State Actors (i.e. mostly private individuals in SGBV related cases) which accounted for 18.3% of the total cases.
“The various Task Forces on enforcement of Covid-19 Regulations across the states accounted for 10.5% of the total cases; while the Nigeria Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) accounted for 7.7% and 1.9% respectively.
“The Department of State Services (DSS) also accounted for 1% of the total cases, while a perpetrator representing the other 1% was yet to be determined as at the time of this report.
“The report also finds that18 incidents of violations representing about 17.3% of the complaints have been resolved by different security agencies and the Commission”.
