COVID-19 Lockdown: Security Agents Kill 18 In Two Weeks -NHRC …As Protest Rocks Delta Over Extension Of Lockdown

Nigerian security agents enforcing the Coronavirus lockdown in Nigeria have killed more citizens in the last two weeks than the deadly virus, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said.
The commission said in a report that while the disease has so far killed 11 persons in Nigeria, according to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), security operatives have caused the death of 18 people.
In the report signed by its Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, and made public, yesterday, the commission assessed the incidents of violation of human rights over the last two weeks.
“There were eight documented incidents of extra-judicial killing leading to 18 deaths,” it said.
“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 described the action of the security agents as a total disregard for rules of engagement in dealing with the civil population.
Of the 18 deaths, the Nigeria Correctional Service was responsible for eight deaths while the police were responsible for seven deaths.
The Nigerian 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 police, according to the report, were responsible for 90 per cent of the total cases of violation as Lagos had the highest recorded cases with 28 incidents out of 105 complaints of human rights violation received and documented by the commission nationwide.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, last Monday, extended the lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and Abuja by another 14 days.
He said the extension was to further check the spread of COVID-19 which had infected 323 people in Nigeria and caused 10 deaths at the time of his address.
The president appealed to Nigerians to obey the directive and others by different state governments.
“This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death,” he had said.
Meanwhile, thousands of residents, in Sapele,Delta State, yesterday, grounded the timber town to a halt, when they took to the streets of the town, in protest, demanding an end to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s extension of lockdown in the state.
The governor had made a broadcast to residents of the state, Tuesday morning announcing the extension of the 14-day Lockdown which began on April 1, for another two weeks and imposing a dusk to dawn curfew.
This morning in defiance of the order, women in their hundreds took their protest to the streets of the town, as early as 7:30am demanding an end to the lockdown.
Chanting “we no go gree o, we no go gree” by some of the women, others chanted “freedom, freedom” the women in their thousands were joined by other residents of the town including artisans, tricycle motorcycle riders, and others
“We prefer to come outside and die than to be locked indoor, we have stayed inside for two weeks we can’t go to the market, we can’t go anywhere, we are hungry, we will not accept this” Madam Tina Akpometiro told Vanguard.
Another woman who introduced herself as Mrs Oke James told Vanguard, they were tired of staying at home,
“we are hungry and we don’t want food, let us go out and fend for ourselves. We want to go back to our normal lives, we are tired of sitting at home”
A Keke rider who called himself Jonah Ameh said “though the step.was the right thing, they were tired of not being able to fend for their family and want an end to the lockdown”
Others, who spoke were Sapele-Okpe Community leader Dr. Vincent Ekariko, and Mr Aderopo Peters, a doctor, who demanded immediate release of food items, saying Deltans are hungry.
”If you say people should stay at home, tell me, what will they eat, while the leaders stock their home with foodstuff, no water, no electricity, no food for the poor ones, what do you want them to do? They should stay at home and die? “ Dr Ekariko ask.
The Sapele local government chairman, Hon Eugene Inoaghan, who tried to pacify the crowd with loads of security men was openly rebuffed, with the crowd chanting “we want freedom, we want freedom” however there was pandemonium when the chairman left, with the crowd openly confronting security men with stones, an action that led to burning of tyres and wood.
By Paul Olayemi
Thousands of residents, in Sapele,Delta State, today, grounded the timber town to a halt, when they took to the streets of the town, in protest, demanding an end to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s extension of lockdown in the state.
The governor had made a broadcast to residents of the state, yesterday morning announcing the extension of the 14-day Lockdown which began on April 1, for another two weeks and imposing a dusk to dawn curfew.
This morning in defiance of the order, women in their hundreds took their protest to the streets of the town, as early as 7:30am demanding an end to the lockdown.
Chanting “we no go gree o, we no go gree” by some of the women, others chanted “freedom, freedom” the women in their thousands were joined by other residents of the town including artisans, tricycle motorcycle riders, and others
“We prefer to come outside and die than to be locked indoor, we have stayed inside for two weeks we can’t go to the market, we can’t go anywhere, we are hungry, we will not accept this” Madam Tina Akpometiro told Vanguard.
Another woman who introduced herself as Mrs Oke James told Vanguard, they were tired of staying at home,
“we are hungry and we don’t want food, let us go out and fend for ourselves. We want to go back to our normal lives, we are tired of sitting at home”
A Keke rider who called himself Jonah Ameh said “though the step.was the right thing, they were tired of not being able to fend for their family and want an end to the lockdown”
Others, who spoke were Sapele-Okpe Community leader Dr. Vincent Ekariko, and Mr Aderopo Peters, a doctor, who demanded immediate release of food items, saying Deltans are hungry.
“If you say people should stay at home, tell me, what will they eat, while the leaders stock their home with foodstuff, no water, no electricity, no food for the poor ones, what do you want them to do? They should stay at home and die? “ Dr Ekariko ask.
The Sapele local government chairman, Hon Eugene Inoaghan, who tried to pacify the crowd with loads of security men was openly rebuffed, with the crowd chanting “we want freedom, we want freedom” however there was pandemonium when the chairman left, with the crowd openly confronting security men with stones, an action that led to burning of tyres and wood.