Nigeria’s defence headquarters has countered a report by Amnesty International (AI), declaring that the armed forces respect human rights and operate within the ambit of international law of armed conflict.
AI had said, in a new report, that girls and young women, who escaped Boko Haram captivity in Northeast of Nigeria faced further suffering, including, sometimes, unlawful military detention, and are now receiving inadequate support as they attempt to rebuild their lives.
But in a swift reaction, spokesman of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General Edward Buba, said it is a professional military force that operates within the ambit of international law of armed conflict.
“The AFN adheres to humanitarian law and principles governing human rights. Furthermore, the AFN elects not to join words with organisations, such as AI, but would rather encourage them to approach the military high command to substantiate their allegations.
The military has self-regulating mechanisms with which it administers the military justice system to address any proven case of misconduct of personnel.”
General Buba stressed that it is for this reason that there are standing court martials to treat any form of misbehaviour by erring personnel, especially those that portray the military negatively to the general populace.
