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Balance Of Rights During A Pandemic: Enforcement Of Lockdown Regulations And Law Enforcement Brutality

Published

5 years ago

May 23, 2020

Mary Izobo and Folasade Abiodun

Since January 2020, COVID-19 pandemic, has held the world to ransom and has posed a threat to public health. It has put a lot of pressure on available medical facilities with a record of over 2,500,000 persons infected and 170,000 deaths globally with numbers set to increase.

In order to stop the spread of the disease, several countries are taking such measures as the closure of airports, ports and land borders, isolation and quarantining of persons, banning of religious gatherings, closure of schools, restaurants, public spaces and a complete “lockdown” or partial lockdown of countries.

Some of these measures as well as the implementation, have implications on the right to freedom of movement, the right to freedom of association and the right to freedom of assembly.

Almost all countries in Africa have been infected by the coronavirus. Most of the affected African countries have invoked restrictions highlighted above. The police, and in some case the army, have been called upon to compliance by citizens. However, the enforcement of these regulations by these law enforcement officials have generated a lot of controversies and public outcry as there have been severe violations of human rights.

As former colonies with long and difficult histories of war, several countries in Africa have had a history of violation of human rights and brutality by law enforcement officials. Two countries of note are Nigeria and South Africa. The arbitrariness and lawlessness perpetrated by law enforcement agents in these countries are not new nor peculiar to the present pandemic.

This can be traced to the culture of militarism in Nigeria and South Africa as both have long histories of military regime and apartheid rule respectively. It is safe to say that these law enforcement officials are locked in an aggressive mode where they suspend the rights of citizens whenever they are called upon to promote and defend national interests at the detriment of the citizens they are supposed to protect.

Thus, law enforcement officials in these two countries are used to forceful and violent means in enforcing the law and have adopted a muscular approach to alledged violators of the lockdown regulations.Nigeria is experiencing its longest uninterrupted democratic rule since it gained independence in 1960. From 1966 to 1979 and 1983 to 1999, Nigeria was led by the military junta who used the military as a tool to ensure and mandate cooperation from citizens by the use of force.

These periods were marred by gross violation of human rights by the military in Nigeria. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria took measures to contain the spread by making laws and policies to restrict movement in order to contain the spread. Laws were made to restrict movement in several states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC) received 105 complaints and eighteen people have been killed between 30 March 2020, the commencement of the lockdown and 15 April 2020 from law enforcement officials, more than the number of persons who have died from COVID-19 in Nigeria.

South Africa experienced a system of apartheid that upheld institutionalized racial segregation and white supremacy from 1948 to 1994. The military was used as a tool by the government to forcefully remove black South Africans from areas designated as “white” to the homelands, terrorised and violated the rights of Black South Africans with impunity.

The Apartheid period gave the military excessive powers and carte blanche to torture citizens. In South Africa, to curb the spread of the coronavirus, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a national disaster and a complete lockdown of the country. The lockdown started on 27 March 2020, and three days into the lockdown, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) registered 21 cases of police brutality complaints and over nine people have been killed by law enforcement officials.

The law enforcement officials in Nigeria and South Africa have assaulted, tortured, denigrated, unlawfully arrested, seized and looted properties, extorted and carried out corrupt practises in the enforcement of the compliance of lockdown regulations. Citizens going about their legitimate businesses without flouting the lockdown regulations are not exempted from the ruthlessness of these law enforcement agents. These law enforcement officials have abused power, deployed disproportionate use of force, and have blatantly undermined national and international laws. It is apparent that after years of military rule in Nigeria and Apartheid in South Africa, violence by law enforcement officials remains a confirmed way of treating the populace – a sad reality of both countries’ bitter, barbaric, and dark past.

Undoubtedly, those citizens who go against the lockdown regulations should be punished, but in the enforcement of the law, state actors must ensure compliance with the national and international standards.

There is the need to strike a balance in human rights and the public interest that the restriction regulations seek to protect. This is in order to cause the limitation law to be effective and achieve the aim it seeks to achieve.

With Nigeria and South Africa’s past, there should be a better way to deal with the populace. Reasonable and proportionate use of force should be used in7 ensuring compliance without having to violate the human rights of citizens.

Better accountability mechanisms should also be put in place in the event of an erring state actor who violates human rights. In addition, there should be transparency in the punishment of such state actor, as an avenue for reportage is not enough without an assurance of penalty that will serve as a deterrent of such acts.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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