10,000 died in Nigerian military custody – Amnesty

Amnesty International has said since the Boko Haram conflict began, about 10, 000 people have lost their lives in the custody of the Nigerian Army.

This was disclosed in Maiduguri by the Country Director, Isa Sanusi, who stated that abuses were committed by the military and also Boko Haram insurgents.

He lamented that despite Amnesty’s report, the military still denied involvement in abuse done by its personnel while carrying out their duty.

Sanusi revealed that a case has been filed before the International Court of Justice, ICJ, at the Hague.

He also unveiled a 144-page report, titled “Help Us Build Our Lives,” which said attacks on schools, teachers and students, including their abduction, have been committed to prevent people, especially children, from receiving what Boko Haram considers a ‘Western’ education

The report said Boko Haram committed war crimes and other serious violations of international humanitarian law, including murder; attacks on civilians and civilian objects; indiscriminate attacks; disproportionate attacks; torture; cruel treatment; conscription (including through abductions) and use of child soldiers under the age of 15; attacks on buildings dedicated to education.

In a series of reports since 2015, Amnesty concluded that Boko Haram members should also be investigated for the crimes against humanity of murder; enslavement; imprisonment; torture; rape; sexual slavery; sexual violence; persecution; and forced marriage as “other inhumane acts, the report said.

Amnesty International documented war crimes by government forces, including intentional attacks against the civilian population; indiscriminate attacks that have killed or injured civilians; extrajudicial executions, which also constitute the war crime of murder; torture; cruel treatment; rape; and sexual violence.

“In addition, Amnesty International believes that individuals in the Nigerian military may have committed crimes against humanity of murder; extermination; imprisonment; torture; rape; enforced disappearance; and gender-based persecution, after having concluded in a 2015 report that the Nigerian military likely had a policy to attack a civilian population and had done so in a widespread and systematic nature.

“At least 10,000 people have died in military custody since the conflict in north-east Nigeria began,” the report added.