A grim report emerging out of Nigeria, has it that 18 people have been killed by various security agencies in Nigeria in the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, according to the nation’s Human Rights Commission.

Reported cases of death, as a result of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic stands at 12 out of the 407 reported cases of infection.

The Commission stated on Wednesday that, “there has been eight documented incidents of extrajudicial killings leading to 18 deaths between March 30 and April 13”.

The largest population of deaths recorded were attributed to the correctional services, which recorded 8 deaths. While 7 were attributed to the police. The military and a Local Government are being blamed for the remaining 3.

The lockdown which commenced on March 30th was recently extended by another 14 days by the country’s president, Muhammadu Buhari.

The report also added that 105 human rights violation reports were received from 24 out of 36 states of the federation. These violations included torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, violation of right to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, incidents of confiscation of properties and extortion etc.

According to Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the body, the violations “arose as a result of excessive or disproportionate use of force, abuse of power, corruption as well as the non-adherence to international and national human rights laws by law enforcement agents.”

Meanwhile, the police through its spokeperson Frank Mba disputed the report as being “too general”. “The commission should have given details of those killed by the police, their number, names and places where they were killed to enable us to take appropriate actions,” he told the Agence France-Presse.