Over 10,000 people have reportedly died in military custody since the Boko Haram insurgency started in North-East Nigeria.
Amnesty International Country Director, Isa Sanusi, disclosed this on Thursday and said it has filed a case on crimes against humanity in the region with the International Court of Justice in The Hague,
“The Nigerian military has frequently treated anyone from areas controlled by Boko Haram as suspected members of the group,” Sanusi stated, adding that government forces, had attacked civilians, carried out extrajudicial executions, torture, rape, and enforced disappearances.
Amnesty alleged that Nigerian military personnel may have committed crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, imprisonment, and gender-based persecution.
The organization’s 2015 report said these actions were likely part of a policy to systematically target civilians., adding that the 144-page report presented at the conference also condemned Boko Haram for mass killings, abductions, and attacks on schools, aimed at deterring education, especially for children.
“Boko Haram has carried out widespread abductions, particularly of girls and young women, and has attacked schools to prevent what it deems ‘Western’ education,” the report stated.
“Boko Haram has carried out widespread abductions, particularly of girls and young women, and has attacked schools to prevent what it deems ‘Western’ education,” the report stated.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, was yet to respond to these allegations made by Amnesty International as at press time.
Amnesty is making these allegations days after the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), said the investigation of the Nigerian military by the ICC was taking too long, tagging it unjust.
Fagbemi said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele.
He said in his remarks at the 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC in Hague, that Nigeria at the global stage had demonstrated the will to promote justice and end terrorism among other global crimes.
