The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said that officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are found guilty of human rights abuses will not go unpunished.
He said this on Wednesday while inaugurating a Special Board of Inquiry set up in line with the provisions of Section 172(1) of the Armed Forces Act; to investigate all allegations of Human Rights violation by some personnel of the Nigerian Army.
Buratai said that the allegations of extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture and enforced disappearance of suspects kept under the custody of the Army were not good for civil-military relations and were capable of demoralizing the military personnel in the performance of their constitutional roles.
He charged the members of the Special Board of Inquiry to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses leveled against the Army notably the cases mentioned in the controversial Amnesty International report that indicted some senior officers and commanders of the force; so that, the true situation of the allegations would be established and appropriate punishment meted on those found culpable.
He said: “We are aware that there are some alleged cases of misconduct and abuses by some of our personnel, especially I the early days of the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations.
“Notably, the Amnesty International reports, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), other groups and individuals have made allegations of human rights violations of arrested Boko Haram terrorists against some of our senior officers and commanders based on which some of them are already suffering discriminations in some quarters.
“The allegations range from extra-judicial executions, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture and enforced disappearance of suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
“The allegations are not good for civil-military relations and are capable of demoralizing the military personnel in the performance of their constitutional roles.
“It is, therefore, expedient to thoroughly and impartially investigate these allegations in order to find out the facts of the matter to enable relevant authorities take appropriate actions.
“It is against this background that this Special Board of Inquiry is being set-up to investigate the matter and establish the true situation of the whole allegations.
“The Board of Inquiry is to take note those allegations that have been investigated by State Government or the National Human Rights Commission. (NHRC), and concluded are not to be revisited.”
Members of the Board are: Maj. Gen. AT Jibrin (rtd), President; Brig. Gens. AD Garba (rtd), A Gumi (rtd), OL Olayinka, and colonels LB Mohammed, UM Wambai are members; while, Lt. col. CM Akaliro will serve as secretary.