Lockdown: Legal Practitioner Asks FG, Govs To Check Police, Military Brutality

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

An Akure-based human rights lawyer, Morakinyo Ogele, has called on the federal government and State governors to quickly address the issue of police and military brutality to Nigerians, in the period of lockdown.

It would be recall that last week Wednesday (April 15, 2020) the enforcement of the Coronavirus lockdowns in some states, especially Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta and Kaduna turned bloody, with at least 21 people shot dead.

But, Ogele, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure at the weekend, maintained that as part of the stay at home order, announced by President Muhammadu Buhari, there was no part where it was mentioned that citizens, seen on the streets should be arrested or be brutalized.

He said, “Since the proclamation of lockdown in some states in Nigeria the law enforcement agencies detail to see to the effectiveness of this order have engaged in cocktail of brutality and bloody implementation of the order.

“On the 15th day of April, 2020 the enforcement of this lockdown in some states to wit, Anambra, Ebonyi, Delta and Kaduna elongated to bloody exercise with at least 21 people were killed.

“In the process of arresting the defaulter, security enforcement agencies, Army, Police and Civil Defence went haywire in that the death toll in one day caused by the security agents outnumbered the death in connection with the pandemic itself.

“The security enforcement agencies were so brutal that the masses become victim of prisoner of war and they are carrying this operation as if the masses are their enemies.

“It is on record that extortion is not left out, this is equally carried out with impunity, the governors in their effort to checkmate the spread of pandemic only instructed the security agencies to see to the observation of the order.”

The human rights lawyer, therefore called on government, State Governors, the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai to call their men to order saying security agencies should operate within the constitution.

“We must say emphatically that the security agencies have gone beyond their limit, they are now security risk rather than to see to the safety of the masses.

“It is very barbaric primitive and crude for these agencies to the masses as their enemies.

“In their uncivilized operation, they assaulted health workers, journalists and some others rendering essential services.

“We must put them on notice that if the brutal operations are going on unabated the masses may be forced to challenge this brutality.

“I call on President Muhammadu Buhari and states governors to check the excess of impunity corruption and highhandedness by the security agencies to stop the killing of masses.

“Security agencies should display decorum and respect human rights in the discharge of their duty in maintaining law and order while enforcing the lockdown.

“They must be put on notice that brutality and extra-judicial killings carried out by security agents in this country is a serious violation of our constitution in which may earn them prosecution,” Ogele said.