From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters has challenged Amnesty International (AI), the international human rights organisation to prove its allegations that the Nigeria Armed Forces is committing crimes against humanity in the North East.
The DHQ, said the armed forces views the pronouncements by Amnesty International as shocking, lacking in merit as well as mischievous, especially as it is coming at this ending cycle stage of the counter terrorism war in the North East.
Amnesty International had during a media briefing alleged that over 10,000 people have died in military custody since the onset of the counter insurgency operations in the North East. Amnesty International’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, had during the media briefing said that his organisation had filed a case with the International Court of Justice in The Hague, alleging crimes against humanity in the region. But in a swift reaction, the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, condemned the allegations, insisting that the armed forces operate as a professional force. He said that suspects arrested during military operations are thoroughly profiled, after which they are handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation that ends up either in their release or prosecution.
Buba in the statement said: “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 North East of Nigeria that over 10, 000 civilians died in Nigerian military detention facilities among other spurious allegations. The armed forces views the pronouncements by Amnesty International as shocking, lacking in merit as well as mischievous, particularly as it is coming at this ending cycle stage of the counter terrorism war in the NE.”