Security agents worsened rights violations during COVID-19 lockdown —Reps

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Jerry Alagbaso, on Wednesday came hard on security agencies in the country, accusing them of human rights violations during the COVID-19 lockdown.

According to him, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army were among the top violators of human rights as contained in the documented report by the National Human Rights Commission.

He also said that the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp were indicted for violating human rights while enforcing the pandemic rules and regulations.

The legislator spoke during an experience sharing session on the ‘Administrative injustice arising from COVID-19’, organized by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre with support from the European Union.

Alagbaso said the violations included arbitrary arrests and detention of citizens and even those who had cogent reasons to go about their official duties during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

Apart from harassment and illegal detention of journalists by security agencies, he said there were also several instances of illegal arrests and detention of ordinary citizens and others who were pushed by hunger in search of food and sources of income.

He said, “At the Committee on Human Rights Abuses, we have handled cases concerning administrative injustices. And at our investigative hearings, the Committee’s position as regards the violation of human rights is always made clear to the heads of the security agencies and we have always pointed out the dangers in the abuse of human rights. Another issue is that of extra-judicial killings.”