ASF France Condemns Brutality, Extra Judicial Killings by Security Agents During COVID-19 Lockdown
*** Calls for Prosecution of Perpetrators
By UDO ONYEKA
Avocats Sans Frontières France/Lawyers Without Borders France (ASF France) has condemned the various reported brutality and extra judicial killings of civilians by security agents in the course of enforcing lockdown during COVID-19 outbreak across various states in Nigeria.
ASF France sees the action of security agents as reported by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of having killed 18 citizens in the first 14 days of the enforcement of lockdown regulations on the COVID-19 pandemic as totally unacceptable and a direct disregard of their role as protectors of the society.
The Group called for the prosecution of the perpetrators, The Group which noted that the figure quoted above must have risen in the past few days, called for the prosecution of the perpetrators.
ASF France while reiterating its earlier call on security agencies to exercise decorum and respect human rights in the discharge of their duty while enforcing the lockdown says the brutality and extra judicial killings carried out by security agents in this context is a violation of international human rights.
According to ASF France Head of Office Nigeria, Angela Uwandu, it is disheartening that the brutality of security agencies in the course of enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown has resulted to more deaths than the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We condemn the flagrant abuse and excessive use of force by security agencies during enforcement of the lockdown leading to several human rights abuses by security agencies such as alleged 33 incidents of torture, 27 incidents of violation of right to freedom of movement, and unlawful arrests, 19 incidents of seizure of properties and 13 incidents of extortion,” said Uwandu.
“The impunity and spate of abuse shows the disregard by security agencies of human rights while dealing with citizens and on that note, we at ASF France remain committed to assisting victims of human rights abuses and their families seek justice,” she added.
ASF France urges the general public to call its hotline: +234 701 061 9353 to report cases of human rights violations by security agencies during this lockdown.
The Group can also be reached by email on:communication.frontieres-
