In an earlier report, Amnesty International claimed that 10,000 people have perished in the Defence Headquarters’ captivity since the Boko Haram insurgency started in the northeast. The international human rights organization’s country director, Isa Sanusi, at a briefing in Maiduguri, also accused Boko Haram and the military of numerous abuses.
He claimed that while doing their duties in the area, soldiers broke the rules of engagement. He lamented the military’s denial of its personnel’s role in the atrocity after receiving Amnesty International’s report prior to its public release.
Sanusi declared that the human rights organization had previously brought a complaint against alleged crimes against humanity in the northeast to the International Court of Justice, in The Hague.
“Attacks on schools, teachers, and students, including their abduction, have been committed so as to prevent people, especially children, from receiving what Boko Haram considers a ‘Western’ education.
“Boko Haram is generally translated from Hausa as ‘Western education is forbidden. Boko Haram has committed war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, including murder and attacks on civilians and civilian objects.”
However, in a prompt reaction to some of the accusations leveled against the Nigerian military, the Defence Headquarters, in a statement by Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, on Friday, described Amnesty International’s allegations as “spurious, shocking, and lacking in merit.” While the DHQ invited the organization over to its office to substantiate its allegations.
The statement reads, “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to some spurious allegations made by Amnesty International during a press conference held on 5 Dec 24. It was alleged that, since the onset of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast of Nigeria (NE), over ten thousand civilians died in Nigerian military detention facilities, among other spurious allegations.”
The DHQ spokesperson noted that the armed forces views the pronouncements by Amnesty International as shocking, lacking in merit, as well as mischievous, particularly as they come at this ending cycle stage of the counterterrorism war in the NE.
He added that though the Armed Forces were not willing to join words with Amnesty International, it is of utmost necessity to set the records straight. He added that the Nigerian military is a professional force that conducts its operations within the dictates of international humanitarian law and the laws of armed conflicts.
He mentioned, “Though the operational environment has been complex and challenging, troops have painstakingly abided by the rules of engagement to extensively avoid civilian casualties in whatever shape or form. Additionally, whenever arrests are made, suspects are profiled, after which the suspects are handed over to the appropriate agency for release or prosecution.
“As a deterrent to unethical conduct, there are standing court martials within the operational theatres to ensure justice is immediately administered to any erring personnel during operations. Overall, it is necessary to reiterate that the armed forces, under the able leadership of the CDS, General Christopher Musa, remain professional in carrying out their constitutional mandates in line with global best practices.
“On the whole, the armed forces invite Amnesty International to substantiate the details of the allegations. This will enable the military to conduct an inquiry in order to determine the authenticity or otherwise of the made allegations.”
Amnesty International, in their earlier reports, had alluded to issues of indiscriminate attacks, disproportionate attacks, torture, cruel treatment, conscription (including through abductions), and the use of child soldiers under the age of 15; attacks on buildings dedicated to education by Boko Haram.
“Consequently, in a series of reports since 2015, Amnesty International has concluded that Boko Haram members should also be investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder; enslavement; imprisonment; torture; rape; sexual slavery; sexual violence; persecution; and forced marriage as “other inhumane acts,” the report stated.
According to the report, in response to the military atrocities in its operations against the armed group (Boko Haram) “the Nigerian military has often treated anyone in or coming out of Boko Haram-controlled areas as, at minimum, a suspected Boko Haram member.
“Amnesty International has documented war crimes by government forces, including intentional attacks against the civilian population; indiscriminate attacks that have killed or injured civilians; extrajudicial executions, which also constitute the war crime of murder; torture; cruel treatment; rape; and sexual violence.
“In addition, Amnesty International believes that individuals in the Nigerian military may have committed the crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; imprisonment; torture; rape; enforced disappearance; and gender-based persecution, after having concluded in a 2015 report that the Nigerian military likely had a policy to attack a civilian population and had done so in a widespread and systematic nature.”
