18 killed by Nigeria security forces over virus lockdown, more than virus

Nigerian security agents have killed 18 people in their enforcement of measures to curb coronavirus, a figure higher than the documented toll inflicted by the disease, the country’s human rights body says.

Africa’s most populous nation has imposed a total lockdown in megacity Lagos and the capital Abuja and set restrictions in other regions in a bid to contain the virus.

According to official figures, coronavirus has so far infected 407 people in Nigeria, 12 of them fatally.

Security forces, including police and army, have been deployed to enforce the restrictions, sparking deadly confrontations in some states.

A report released by the National Human Rights Commission says it has received and documented “105 complaints of incidents of human rights violations perpetuated by security forces” in 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja.

Of these complaints, “there were 8 documented incidents of extrajudicial killings leading to 18 deaths,” it says.

— AFP