Amnesty International Calls on FG to Investigate Former and Serving Service Chiefs for War Crimes

Amnesty International (AI) has accused the Nigerian military and some identified senior military personnel of engaging in “horrific rights abuses” in the prosecution of the on-going anti- terror war in the Northeast.

The group, in a report released on Wednesday, sought urgent government’s intervention and the conduct of independent investigation into the activities of the military as captured in the report.

According to "The Nation" Amnesty in the report titled: “Stars on their shoulders. Blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military,” said since March 2011, more than 7,000 young men and boys died in military detention and more than 1,200 people were unlawfully killed since February 2012.

It said the report is 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 group listed a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the Nigerian military in the course of the fight against Boko Haram in the northeast.

The report contained details of alleged roles and possible criminal responsibilities of those along the chain of command – up to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff – and named nine senior Nigerian military figures who should be investigated for command and individual responsibility for the crimes committed.

It stressed the need for an investigation into the individual and command responsibilities of soldiers, and mid-level and senior-level military commanders “for their potential involvement in crimes committed.

Presenting the report in Abuja, two officials of Amnesty, Netsanet Belay and Anna Neistat gave the names of military personnel, whose roles the group urged the Federal Government to investigate, to include Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (Chief of Army Staff, between September 2010 and January 2014) and   Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim  (Chief of Defence Staff, from October  2012 – January  2014).

Others are – Air Chief Marshal Badeh (Chief of Defence Staff, from January 2014 – till date) and Gen. Ken Minimah (Chief of Army Staff, from January 2014 – till date.)

The rights watchdog equally sought the investigation of Major -Gen. John A.H. Ewansiha (former General Officer Commanding, Operation Restore Order 1 and Operation Boyoyo), Major –Gen. Obida T. Ethnan (former Commander of 7 Division), Major- Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed (former Commander 7 Division), Brigadier -Gen. Austin O. Edokpayi (former Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force based in Baga) and Brigadier- Gen. Rufus O. Bamigboye (former Commander, 21 Armoured Brigade stationed in Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri) for similar offences.

The organisation said that these crimes included the killing of 8,000 persons, who were “murdered, starved, suffocated and tortured to death.”

Click HERE to view video report.

Do you think Amnesty International carried out a thorough investigation on this  or they just want to create more issues for the Nigerian  Military ?