Foremost human rights lawyer. Femi Falana(SAN) says 21 not 18 persons have been killed in the first 14 days of the coronavirus lockdown in Nigeria so far.
The lawyer stated this in the letter he wrote to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), stressing that there were three unreported cases.
NHRC had reported earlier that 18 persons have been so far killed by security operatives in the process of enforcing the lockdown order by President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, in his letter titled RE: COVID-19 killings by security forces, Falana said that majority of the killings took place in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Abia states.
“Our attention has been drawn to your report on the 18 people that were brutally killed in Kaduna, Abia, Niger and Katsina states by the armed personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps deployed by the Federal Government to enforce the COVID-19 Regulations.
Falana further stated that “we have confirmed the unlawful killing of three other persons after the compilation of your report.
“Specifically, a taxi driver in Cross River State while two other persons were shot dead by the police in Anambra State.
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“Thus, you will agree with us that 21 Nigerian citizens have lost their lives in the hands of trigger happy security personnel under the pretext of enforcing the COVID-19 regulations.”
He called the NHRC to use its “good offices to conduct an investigation into the unlawful killing of the 21 persons and ensure that the culprits are prosecuted for murder or culpable homicide.
“Furthermore, we request you to ensure that the bereaved family members of the slain citizens are adequately compensated by the federal government.”