Amnesty international Accuses Military Chiefs Of Heinous War Crimes, Calls For Their Trial

Amnesty International on Wednesday June 3rd said that there was sufficient evidence for the International Criminal Court to probe senior Nigerian military officers for war crimes in the battle against Boko Haram.

A 131-paged report titled “Stars On Their Shoulders, Blood On Their Hands,” also called for trial of nine former and serving Army Generals, for their alleged roles in war crimes committed between March 2011 and 2014.

During a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, AI said more than 7,000 young men and boys died in military detention and more than 1,200 people were unlawfully killed in the North-East since February 2012.
The crimes were perpetrated during the fight against Boko Haram and were allegedly master minded by the top military officers.
Those affected are:

Major General John A.H. Ewansiha; Major General Obida T Ethnan Major General Ahmadu Mohammed; Brigadier General Austin O. Edokpayi; and Brigadier General Rufus O. Bamigboye. Others are: General Azubuike Ihejirika (Chief of Army Staff, September 2010 – January 2014); Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim (Chief of Defence Staff, October 2012 – January 2014); Air Chief Marshal Badeh (Chief of Defence Staff, January 2014 – time of writing); and General Ken Minimah (Chief of Army Staff, January 2014 – time of writing).
Based on years of research and analysis of evidence – including leaked military reports and correspondence, as well as interviews with more than 400 victims, eyewitnesses and senior members of the Nigerian security forces – the organization outlines a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the Nigerian military in the course of the fight against Boko Haram in the north-east of the country.

“In the course of security operations against Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria, Nigerian military forces have extrajudicially executed more than 1,200 people; they have arbitrarily arrested at least 20,000 people, mostly young men and boys,” the report said.

According to Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General:

“The previous Nigerian administration’s utterly callous ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ attitude when it comes to the hundreds of stories of death coming out of the military detention centres beggars belief.
“The hundreds of unidentified bodies, the evidence of mass graves and the harrowing stories of starvation and abuse coming out of the country’s military barracks demand nothing less than an urgent investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice,” Salil Shetty added.

“Nigerian forces have committed countless acts of torture; hundreds, if not thousands, of Nigerians have become victims of enforced disappearance; and at least 7,000 people have died in military detention as a result of starvation, extreme overcrowding and denial of medical assistance,” it added.

Amnesty said commanders based in the northeast “should be investigated for potential responsibility for war crimes of murder, enforced disappearances and torture”.

Top service chiefs in the capital Abuja “should be investigated for their potential command responsibility for crimes committed by their subordinates given that they knew or should have known about the commission of the crimes, and failed to take adequate action”. It said.

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday acknowledged receipt of the  report through his Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu., saying that it “contains many disturbing allegations”. He quoted Buhari as saying: 

“I assure you that your report will be looked into. This administration will leave no stone unturned to promote the rule of law, and deal with all cases of human rights abuses.
“Respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law are the life and soul of the democratic system. We will not tolerate or condone impunity and reckless disregard for human rights.”

If these reports are investigated and found to be true, then those involved must face the FULL wrath of the law, top ranking military official or not.