‘Prosecute soldiers involved in human rights abuses’

The Nigeria Researcher of the Human Rights Watch, Mausi Segun, on Wednesday, urged the new service chiefs to show commitment to the international human rights guidelines and give clear directives on enforcement procedures as they intensify the anti-terrorism war.

She also advocated the immediate sanction of anti-Boko Haram fighters, who were involved in human rights violation, adding that this would signal a clear departure from the past when the country was indicted of human rights violation.

She suggested the suspension and prosecution of officers who were directly involved in the abuses.

Segun made the call on Wednesday in a report tweeted by the HRW. The full report was also published on the website of the organisation.

The researcher said the military heads must “immediately and publicly” show their support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to uphold human rights during his administration.

The Amnesty International had indicted Nigeria of human rights abuses with the United States reportedly withdrawing its support for the war against insurgency on the ground of the alleged violations.

“They should act to overhaul the rules of engagement to conform to Nigeria’s obligations under international humanitarian law; give clear instructions to military personnel to ensure their conduct is in compliance with the rules and immediately suspend any member of the security forces where there is credible evidence of involvement in serious human rights abuses,” she said.

She said government’s failure to bring those allegedly responsible for the abuses to book was the grievance of the locals.

“Security forces have been implicated in disproportional use of force against civilians, detention without trial, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment, torture and extrajudicial killings. Soldiers have only been prosecuted and punished for military offences such as indiscipline and mutiny, but not for human rights abuses,” she noted in the online report.