From Olukayode Idowu
Foremost Civil Rights Advocacy Group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and Association of African Writes on Human and People’s Rights (AFRIRIGHTS) have asked foreign embassies in Nigeria to discountenance allegations of human rights violations made against the former Chief of Army Chief (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai by a group known as the Eastern Rights and Intelligentsia Coalition.
The groups said the retired General as well as other recently retired Service Chiefs, penciled as envoys by President Muhammadu Buhari, are reputable Nigerian statesmen with unblemished records of professional services rendered to Nigeria and have no case in any local or international judicial fora.
The letters to the 31 foreign embassies in Nigeria by HURIWA and AFRIRIGHTS were sent against the backdrop of earlier letters to same embassies by the Eastern Rights and intelligentsia coalition in which they reportedly canvassed the prosecution of the former Service Chiefs at the international criminal court (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands for crimes against humanity and human rights breaches.
The Right groups through the National Coordinator of HURIWA Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss. Zainab Yusuf, categorically stated that rather than recrimination and casting undue aspersions in a bid to ridicule the public standing and assassinate the character of General Buratai and other former military Chiefs, these persons who had only just voluntarily retired from Nigeria Military after 40 years deserve accolades and National awards for their undiluted services to Nigeria.
The names of the petitioned 31 key foreign missions are the Head of Delegation of EU and the Ambassadors of Netherlands, Finland, Poland, Federal Republic of Germany, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Sweden. Others are the High Commissioners of the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada and the Ambassadors of the United States, Israel, Norway, Ireland, Switzerland, Brazil, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.
Excerpts from the letters to the embassies by HURIWA and ARIRIGHTS dated February 12th 2021 reads thus:
“Contrary to insinuations and allegations by some groups under the aegis of Eastern Rights and Intelligentsia Coalition against General Tukur Buratai, we hereby on behalf of over eighth thousand members and over 36 registered affiliates, humbly write you this letter to bring your Excellency, up to speed, with what the immediate past Chief of Army Staff General Buratai adopted to resolve alleged Human Rights Violations by soldiers.
“The past six years have seen Boko Haram atrocities in the northern part of Nigeria raising serious internal insecurity issues and international uproar by its tendency to strike freely, killing and maiming with destruction. These have thus attracted the reliance of the Nigeria government on the military action to deal with Boko Haram.
“It is vital to note first that, the Nigerian Police are statutorily charged with ensuring internal security and public order but the complexity of the threat has seen the army aiding the police.
“Pertinent to mention that the involvement of the armed forces in the fight against Boko Haram enjoyed legal backing in the Nigeria’s Constitution and the Armed Forces Act, which empowers the President as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to determine its operational use.
“Section 8(1), also provides that, the President shall determine the operational use of the Armed Forces, but may, under general or special directives, delegate his responsibility for the day-to-day operational use.
“Section 8(3) of the same Act clarifies that, the operational use of the armed forces in Nigeria includes its use for the purpose of maintaining and securing public safety and public order.”
The groups equally said: “With the absence of war with other states around the world, in maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity and securing its borders, the armed forces have been deployed more to suppress insurrections and assisting, mostly the Police and Nigerian Securities and Civil Defence Corps in the storm of ugly disturbances in different parts of Nigeria, especially in dealing with Boko Haram insurgency among others.
“Pertinent to mention that the struggle by the Nigerian army to combat the Boko Haram insurgents changed with the reorganization of the military, notably the appointment of Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai as Chief of Army Staff and relocation of the military command structure to Borno State by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.”
They admitted that: “It is a truism that the primary roles of the Nigerian Army are to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and to assist the civil authority when called upon to do so. Noticeably, in discharging these constitutional responsibilities, there have been allegations of human rights violations against the Nigerian Army by local and international human rights campaigners, – Civil Society Groups and Non-Governmental Organizations like the Amnesty International, Transparency International and Human Rights Watch among others.
“One of the organisations that constantly kept the Nigerian Army on its toes is the Amnesty International; an international rights watchdog which constantly released negative reports on the Army’s handling of human rights issues.”
The groups said: “For the purposefulness, we shall only concentrate on allegations during when Lt. Gen TY Buratai held sway as the Army Chief.
“These allegations border mainly on extra judicial killings, torture, extortion, arbitrary arrest and detention as well as sexual philandering or exploitation. Others are poor detention facility and pitiable medical access and supplies to suspects in military detention centers.
“These claims portrayed the Nigerian Army in bad light, created rancour and distrust between the army and the civil populace, dampened the morale of troops in the operational arenas, almost distracted the military leadership and maligned the image and reputation of the Nigerian Army.
“In order to respond and or address these accusations, the Chief of Army Staff; Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (as he then was), initiated and institutionalized certain measures intended to eliminate rights abuses by the personnel of the Nigerian Army.”
The groups equally said that: “On assumption of duty in July 2015, Lt Gen TY Buratai was never in doubt as to the enormous challenges he has to surmount in order to restore the dignity of an army and the nation terribly shattered by Boko Haram terrorists.
“As a disciplined military strategist, he understood the key roles of excellent Civil Military Relations/Cooperation particularly in a period of multiple and dynamic security challenges such as terrorism, farmers – herdsmen clashes and violent secessionist agitation among others.
“To this end, he instantly reorganized and empowered the Department of Civil – Military Affairs (DCMA) to function effectively, especially in the campaign for the protection and respect for human rights by the Nigerian Army.”
The groups defended that: “The first step taken to checkmate human rights abuses was to rejig and strengthen the DCMA. Consequently, sensitization workshops and campaigns on protection of human rights where dynamically conducted for members of the NA.
“Similarly, corporate social responsibility projects like construction of boreholes, feeder roads, renovation of medical centres and schools among others across selected communities in Nigeria where conducted particularly during operations and exercises. This endeared the troops to the locals and ushered in a sense of togetherness and mutual respect.
“Likewise, the Nigerian Army through the department, partnered with some human rights organizations such as the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to develop capacity that will enhance professionalism and responsiveness in promoting humanitarian principles and conduct during operations.
“Such human rights sensitization workshops harped on operational civil – military interactions, humanitarian principles, perception, actions, guidelines, security and coordination as well as humanitarian access.
“Perhaps worthy of mention is that while declaring human rights workshop open in 8 Task Force Division, the Chief of Civil – Military Affairs; Maj Gen Nuhu Angbazo (as he then was), who represented the COAS stated that “the Nigerian Army has embarked on the sensitization workshop so that our troops can become knowledgeable in the Laws of Armed Conflicts and therefore avoid those unprofessional conducts that could destroy their career and tarnish the good image of the Nigerian Army” (Vanguard, Jun 2018).”
They said: “Another laudable initiative by the Buratai’s leadership in its consistent efforts to checkmate right abuses was the establishment of Human Rights Desk at the Army Headquarters and in all the formation headquarters across the nation.
“The functions of the human rights desk, which include receiving documents, investigating complaints from individuals, organizations and institutions on rights violations involving Nigerian Army personnel, made findings to the COAS on human rights complaints in the country while producing annual reports and reviews.
“Others are to update existing training manuals, liaising and facilitating interaction with human rights organizations, strategize and strengthen capacity of the Nigerian Army in promoting human rights.”
The groups reminded that: “On 19 June 2018, at a Military – Media – Public Awareness Programme at Jabi Motor Park in Abuja organized by CLEEN Foundation, the COAS through the Army Human Rights Desk Officer, Major Naazem Langpoe (as he then was) stated that; “the army is passionate about the rights of civilians and had measures in place to ensure that rights of civilians are protected.
“These measures included the opening of Free Toll Line 193, designated Toll Free Call Centre and Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit”. The offices and the toll line 193 are opened to members of the public whose rights have been infringed upon; they can always walk in to the office and lodge their complaints.”
