Conduct of the special investigative panel to probe alleged impunity in the terrorism fight has been hindered by security challenges, travel restrictions and lack of access to communities and documents.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, at a consultative forum, held in Abuja, yesterday, as he read out briefing notes of the panel.
The Commission stated that inaccessibility to restricted communities have necessitated the use of community investigators to get appropriate information from localities.
The Commission noted that for there to be independence of the panel, it required independent funds.
However, he said the panel has recorded success since it was inaugurated on February 7, 2023, in response to publication of a three-part News Agency, Reuter report, in December 2022, alleging series of gross violation of international and national human rights laws by the Nigerian Army in the North East during counter-insurgency.
The NHRC said the panel, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, Justice Abdu Aboki, upon inauguration, reached out to the Defence Headquarters, Office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Borno State government and United Nations country team.
