Stop Asking Nigerians To Donate Their Buildings As Isolation Centres – SERAP

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has begged the Federal Government to identify, publish and use confiscated buildings as isolation centres for coronavirus patients.

SERAP revealed this in a recent letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, which was made available to newsmen in Lagos.

According to the organization, it is the president’s duty to order the attorney-general of the federation to identify and publish such assets as the outbreak gets deadlier in the country.

SERAP added that using confiscated assets will not violate the accused’s right to property and no compensation would be involved.

A recent statement read, “While it is important to ramp up testing for COVID-19 to prevent the spread of the virus, asking Nigerians to donate their buildings as isolation centres will put them at greater risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.

“Rather than begging Nigerians to donate their buildings as isolation centres, the authorities should identify, publish and use confiscated assets as isolation centres as a temporary measure.

“Using confiscated assets as isolation centres will be proportionate, necessary, and serve legitimate objectives: namely, to protect public health and public order.”

“Using confiscated assets as proposed, will neither violate the accused’s right to property nor entail a duty to compensate.