Nigeria Military Reacts To Amnesty Lnt'l Video Of Soldier Abusing Nigerian---Human Rights

Is now been known to every Nigerian by Amnesty International by released a gruesome video on its YouTube channel claiming Nigerian soldiers are involved in war crimes. Amnesty International wrote alongside the video;

Gruesome video footage gathered by Amnesty International provide fresh evidence of war crimes, including extrajudicial executions, and other serious human rights violations being carried out in northern Nigeria as the fight by the military against Boko Haram and other armed groups intensifies.
The footage, obtained from numerous sources during a recent trip to Borno state, reveals graphic evidence of multiple war crimes being carried out in Nigeria.

It includes horrific images of detainees having their throats slit one by one and dumped in mass graves by men who appear to be members of the Nigerian military and the “Civilian Joint Task Force” (CJTF), state-sponsored militias. 

It also shows the aftermath of a Boko Haram raid on a village in which the armed group killed nearly 100 people and destroyed or badly damaged scores of homes and other buildings.The Nigerian military has reacted to the video via its Defence Information Director, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade. The military say they plan to investigate the video.

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INVESTIGATING AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL VIDEO ALLEGATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE BY NIGERIAN MILITARY
Gentlemen of the Press,

Welcome to this press briefing which was compelled by the urgent need to clarify some developments arising from our counter-terrorism operations in the country.
The Nigerian military welcomes the interest being shown by international bodies and civil society groups on the observance of Human Rights in all aspects of ongoing counter terrorism campaign in Nigeria. 

Despite the highly challenging and peculiar nature of the variables in the operations, the importance of accountability for all actions has remained paramount. The Armed Forces of Nigeria is conscious of the nation’s obligation to observe all rules, regulations and commitments in all activities, and wishes to reassure the international community, bodies and citizens that it will not encourage or condone any form of violation.

It is expedient to particularly address the recent allegation of gross Human Rights abuses leveled against the military by the Amnesty International and those circulating video footage purportedly showing Nigerian military carrying out extra-judicial killing of suspected terrorists.

For the records, we must unequivocally state that the Nigerian military takes the issue of Human Rights seriously and will never condone any proven case of abuse by its personnel. Military authorities are deeply concerned about the set of video footage being circulated and which unfortunately has also become reference data for Amnesty International in its report. 

Much as the scenes depicted in these videos are alien to our operations and doctrines, it has to be investigated to ensure that such practices have not crept, surreptitiously into the system all to the detriment of expectations, in line with best practices to which the nation’s military has committed itself.

The Defence Headquarters considers these allegations too grievous to be associated with Nigerian troops, considering the doctrinal and operational contents of the training imparted to personnel on a continuous basis; emphasizing the importance of respect for Human Rights and dignity of human person as well as observance of humanitarian laws. Rather, the scenes in that video clip clearly depict a pattern consistent with the atrocious operations of the terrorists.

Notwithstanding the cases of impersonations that have pervaded the counter terrorism operations in Nigeria and many other related issues which cast doubts on the claims made in the video, the Defence Headquarters views those grave allegations very seriously, more so as it borders on the integrity of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation, which must be sustained in the interest of our national survival.

Consequently, the Defence Headquarters in addition to the already existing Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has constituted a team of senior officers and legal cum forensic experts to study the video footage and the resultant allegations of infractions in order to ascertain the veracity of the claims with a view to identifying those behind such acts. This will further determine and stimulate necessary legal action against any personnel or anyone found culpable in accordance with the provisions of the law