• The Committee for The Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) responds to the Nationwide Address   delivered by Mr. President on 27th of April, 2020 on the COVID-19 Pandemic, thus: 

    While appreciating the commendation by Mr. President of the Nigerian People for our being resillient and patriotic, we cannot say the government has reciprocated in like manner.

    We feel it is too early for Mr. President to give himself kudos over the way his government has managed the pandemic, if we are to go by the increase in the statistics of the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. As at yesterday, 28th of April, 2020, flowing from the data base of the NCDC, Nigeria has recorded 1,532 cases with 44 deaths inclusive. These figures show a continous rise, despite the lockdown.

    So far, we have not seen the measures put in place by the government yielding the much needed positive outcomes, as the reality on ground shows that Government needs to do more to curtail the spread of this contagious disease. The measures adopted by the government so far do not appear to take into consideration the current stark realities facing us as a people. We cannot justify the continous lockdown when adequate alternative lifelines in form of palliatives have not been offered. It is clear to us that the people would rather eek out their daily bread than depend on a government that has not been transparent in the distribution of resources donated by well meaning individuals, corporate

    organizations, religious bodies and international organizations etc to combat the disease.

    We are pleased to learn of the policy to secure for health workers an insurance policy and a possible increase in health hazzard allowance.We expect more details to be provided on this.Which categories are covered, what are the figures?. 5000 workers appear to be too few.

    The most cheering aspect of Mr. President’sAddress, is the warning given to Law Enforcement Agencies to respect the fundamental rights of citizens in the process of enforcing the different degrees of restriction on the citizens freedom of movement. We admonish that this cannot serve to excuse fromliability, those Law Enforcement Officers who have already taken the lives of Nigerians. We insist that they should be arrested, charged and prosecuted now, to serve as a real deterrent andthat compensation should be paid to families of the victims if the President’s proclaimedcommitment towards the protection and enforcement of human rights is to be real. 

    We cannot understand or appreciate the necessity for the 8.pm – 6.a.m curfew other than being a part of the enforcement mechanism to keep the nation at a standstill; which is already proving very counterproductive. We feel it istotally needless.

    CDHR suggests that with an intensified enlightenment campaign on preventive practices (washing of hands regularly, wearing of face masks, social distancing etc.), utilizing the tool of reasoning with and persuading, the Nigerian people can be freed from restrictions that are becoming increasingly unnecessary, as would allow people to continue to earn by producing goods and providing services with safety in mind.

    We believe that the flow of information from the government, both Federal and State and their Taskforces in dishing out orders and directives, has been a one way traffic. The time has come to create avenues for popular input in the process of formulation and implementation of the policies of management of the pandemic,especially in an era where citizens are clamouring for popular participation in the way they are being governed. We call on Mr. President to engage the Nigerian people more,elicit and consider our input, in the handling of this scourge, which perhaps is one of the greatest challenges our people have faced since the civil war.

    A major omission on the part of Mr. President, is the failure to concretely address the issue of the all important testing facilities. The figures in Nigeria may appear not too alarming. This is perhaps because a lot of people who have been infected have not been tested. In this regard, Mr.President should publicy commend the initiatives of the government and people of Senegal and Madagascar, and at the highest level, invite collaboration with them in the areas of testing and treatment. We also want to know how the initiatives from various Nigerian academicians and researchers are being engaged and encouraged. 

    In view of the deteriorating economic situation, we urge the Nigerian government at all levels to recognise the all important nature of the Agricultural sector, and formulate and implement programs inspite of the COVID-19 menace, geared towards providing urgentconcrete all round assistance to farmers of food crops in order to avert a hunger pandemic in the months ahead. We caution that a hunger pandemic cannot be treated with the washing of hands and social distancing.