Information has emerged how the Amnesty
International (AI) that visited the Nigerian Army (NA)
last week wept after watching the horrifying video
recording of Boko Haram terrorist atrocities in the
North-eastern part of the country.
Reliable source from the Army who was privy to
the recent closed door meeting revealed on
Saturday how the members of AI could not
stomach the gruesome manner with which the
terrorists decapitated their victims.
According to the senior officer, the members of
the human rights watchdog and other related Civil
Society Organisations, who were at the
presentation, could not endure the gross human
rights violation perpetrated by Boko Haram and
they had to abruptly end the video.
"In fact, they wept and could not stomach the
horror. They were now brought face to face with
the brutality and dastardly acts of these terrorists.
They were so horrified and emotional that we had
to end the video halfway. There was this case of
a captured Policeman, who they decapitated and
slaughtered in bits like animal," the source said.
The source further explained that most of the
video collections were captured from the
members of Boko Haram terrorists "who are in the
habit of recording their atrocities".
"These people have a very sophisticated media
arm that records all their activities, especially their
brutality. Do you know that most of the videos we
showed them were actually captured from the
Boko Haram? They did all these recordings," the
source noted.
In a related development, the documented
response of the NA presented to the AI team
indicated that the allegations of the global human
rights watchdog against the Nigerian military were
exaggerated.
The report explained that the reported death of
7,000 inmates and arbitrary arrest of 20,000
suspected Boko Haram terrorists were inflated by
the AI.
It stated: "It is completely misplaced for the
Amnesty report to allege the death of 7,000
inmates when in actual reality the total number of
detainees is far less than the number contained in
the Amnesty report. Additionally, the other two
detention facilities in Damaturu and Giwa Barracks,
Maiduguri are merely holding centres for screening
of suspects.
The report further noted: "The conduct of
operations in the North-east is purely predicated
on the NA rules of engagement, code of conduct
and in accordance with international law.
The allegation of systematic extra-judicial killing by
own troops is at variance with the proven records
of the NA on rules of engagement.
"The NA has continued to conduct series of
investigation of unprofessional conduct and human
rights violations by troops in the theatre of
operations and where such issues happen, the
culprits are dealt with according to the laws of the
land," the Army stated.
The NA and AI, had on Thursday disagreed over
the extent and desirability of investigation into the
human rights allegations levelled against the
military last year during their counter-terrorism and
counter-insurgency operations against the Boko
Haram terrorists in the North East.
This was against the backdrop of the visit of AI to
the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Abuja where they
met the top Army hierarchy led by Chief of Army
Staff (CoAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to discuss the
issue of the gross human rights violations.
Buratai speaking after more than one hour closed-
door meeting, insisted that the Nigerian Army has
carried out their own investigation with those
found culpable in the various human rights abuses
punished.
He disagreed with the human rights body that
their inquiry was not thorough, saying that the
Army is an institution with its own internal
mechanism of investigation, which they carried out
to its logical conclusion.
According to the COAS, the call for independent
inquiry is beyond their jurisdiction as they have
used all the necessary means and procedure to
conclude their investigation those officers and
soldiers found culpable either imprisoned or
dismissed.
But the Head of AI delegation and Director
Research/Advocacy, Mr. Netsanet Belay, insisted
on through investigation in all the allegations of
human rights violations levelled against some
military personnel. Belay was adamant that AI
would not accept any other investigative outcome
except it is being backed by the one carried out
by an independent body.
He however commended the Army authorities for
adopting an open door policy, describing their
meeting as very fruitful and a first step taken to
address the issues raised by the body. Belay also
debunked the accusations that they were being
biased against the Nigerian military.
International (AI) that visited the Nigerian Army (NA)
last week wept after watching the horrifying video
recording of Boko Haram terrorist atrocities in the
North-eastern part of the country.
Reliable source from the Army who was privy to
the recent closed door meeting revealed on
Saturday how the members of AI could not
stomach the gruesome manner with which the
terrorists decapitated their victims.
According to the senior officer, the members of
the human rights watchdog and other related Civil
Society Organisations, who were at the
presentation, could not endure the gross human
rights violation perpetrated by Boko Haram and
they had to abruptly end the video.
"In fact, they wept and could not stomach the
horror. They were now brought face to face with
the brutality and dastardly acts of these terrorists.
They were so horrified and emotional that we had
to end the video halfway. There was this case of
a captured Policeman, who they decapitated and
slaughtered in bits like animal," the source said.
The source further explained that most of the
video collections were captured from the
members of Boko Haram terrorists "who are in the
habit of recording their atrocities".
"These people have a very sophisticated media
arm that records all their activities, especially their
brutality. Do you know that most of the videos we
showed them were actually captured from the
Boko Haram? They did all these recordings," the
source noted.
In a related development, the documented
response of the NA presented to the AI team
indicated that the allegations of the global human
rights watchdog against the Nigerian military were
exaggerated.
The report explained that the reported death of
7,000 inmates and arbitrary arrest of 20,000
suspected Boko Haram terrorists were inflated by
the AI.
It stated: "It is completely misplaced for the
Amnesty report to allege the death of 7,000
inmates when in actual reality the total number of
detainees is far less than the number contained in
the Amnesty report. Additionally, the other two
detention facilities in Damaturu and Giwa Barracks,
Maiduguri are merely holding centres for screening
of suspects.
The report further noted: "The conduct of
operations in the North-east is purely predicated
on the NA rules of engagement, code of conduct
and in accordance with international law.
The allegation of systematic extra-judicial killing by
own troops is at variance with the proven records
of the NA on rules of engagement.
"The NA has continued to conduct series of
investigation of unprofessional conduct and human
rights violations by troops in the theatre of
operations and where such issues happen, the
culprits are dealt with according to the laws of the
land," the Army stated.
The NA and AI, had on Thursday disagreed over
the extent and desirability of investigation into the
human rights allegations levelled against the
military last year during their counter-terrorism and
counter-insurgency operations against the Boko
Haram terrorists in the North East.
This was against the backdrop of the visit of AI to
the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Abuja where they
met the top Army hierarchy led by Chief of Army
Staff (CoAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to discuss the
issue of the gross human rights violations.
Buratai speaking after more than one hour closed-
door meeting, insisted that the Nigerian Army has
carried out their own investigation with those
found culpable in the various human rights abuses
punished.
He disagreed with the human rights body that
their inquiry was not thorough, saying that the
Army is an institution with its own internal
mechanism of investigation, which they carried out
to its logical conclusion.
According to the COAS, the call for independent
inquiry is beyond their jurisdiction as they have
used all the necessary means and procedure to
conclude their investigation those officers and
soldiers found culpable either imprisoned or
dismissed.
But the Head of AI delegation and Director
Research/Advocacy, Mr. Netsanet Belay, insisted
on through investigation in all the allegations of
human rights violations levelled against some
military personnel. Belay was adamant that AI
would not accept any other investigative outcome
except it is being backed by the one carried out
by an independent body.
He however commended the Army authorities for
adopting an open door policy, describing their
meeting as very fruitful and a first step taken to
address the issues raised by the body. Belay also
debunked the accusations that they were being
biased against the Nigerian military.
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