Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani, has claimed that counter-insurgency operations of the Nigerian military are characterised by extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention and sexual violence.
   
Rafsanjani made this known yesterday while delivering a keynote lecture during the 2024 Nigerian Army Human Rights Seminar.  Speaking on the theme: ‘Nexus between military operations and human rights: An objective assessment’, Rafsanjani lamented that various reprisal operations to terrorist attacks leave innocent civilians suffering a major casualty.
   
According to him, Nigerian authorities have made little to no effort to address the menace by the security forces, especially in the Northeast.
   
“As successive governments speak glowingly about their efforts to counter terrorism and violent extremists, military authorities continue to disregard the killings of defenseless civilians. In some of the cases that triggered public outrage, authorities failed to publicly release the outcome of inquiries into incidents of civilian deaths.
   
“For instance, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in 2017 set up a seven-man judicial commission to investigate the allegations of humanitarian and human rights violations in the military, but its report was never made public.
   
“For most women in the Northeast, their experiences have evolved from being survivors of the insurgence to being victims of rights abuses by security officials. For instance, a situational assessment of IDPs in the Northeast revealed that 66 percent of 400 displaced people in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states affirmed that displaced women and girls were sexually abused by camp officials, and security personnel in particular,” Rafsanjani noted.
   
The Nigerian military has conducted several airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties, often explained as targeting non-state actors or occurring by mistake. These incidents have taken place in states struggling with insecurity due to terrorist and bandit activities. The latest occurred on December 3, 2023, in Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State, when two airstrikes hit villagers celebrating an Islamic festival, reportedly killing over 120 people, according to Amnesty International.
   
Rafsanjani underscored the importance of international humanitarian law (IHL) in protecting civilians during conflicts. He explained that IHL distinguishes between combatants and non-combatants, aiming to minimise harm to civilians.

The human rights activist also discussed the role of gender in military operations, commending the Nigerian Army Women’s Corps for addressing gender-specific issues such as sexual violence. “Incorporating gender perspectives into military operations not only enhances their effectiveness but also ensures that the needs of women and children are addressed,” he added.
   
Rafsanjani called for greater transparency, citing past investigations into military misconduct that have not been publicly released. “Without accountability, the cycle of violence and mistrust will continue,” he said.
   
His remarks were supported by Sharkdam Wapmuk, an associate professor at the Nigerian Defence Academy, who stressed the importance of accountability during armed conflicts. “All parties involved in conflicts must be held responsible for protecting civilians, as outlined by international laws,” Wapmuk said. He concluded by urging communities and local authorities to actively participate in early warning systems to prevent violence and protect civilians from harm.