The Defence Headquarters has denied accusations of inhumane treatment of young women freed from Boko Haram terrorists in North-East.
The DHQ was reacting to a report published on June 10 by Amnesty International.
The organisation, in its report titled “Help us build our lives’: Girl Survivors of Boko Haram and Military Abuses in Northeast Nigeria,” accused the military of abusing survivors in detention facilities, stating that this violates international laws of armed conflict to which Nigeria is a signatory.
“Boko Haram survivors said they were insulted and beaten, and witnessed the beatings of others, by soldiers during their detention. All detention facilities where the interviewees were held were run by the Nigerian military. In some facilities, CJTF members played supporting roles”, the report partly read.
However, in a statement on Monday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the military operates within the ambit of international law of armed conflict.
Buba said the military would not join words with the organisation, urging them to approach the DHQ to substantiate their allegations.
The statement read, “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to allegations labelled against the Armed Forces of Nigeria by the Report of Amnesty International launched during a Press Conference in Abuja on June 10, 2024.
“Accordingly, the AFN hereby makes it unequivocally clear that it is a professional military force that operates within the ambit of International law of armed conflict. Additionally, the AFN adheres to humanitarian law and principles governing human rights.
The AFN elects not to join words with such organisations, rather would encourage them to approach the military high command to substantiate their allegations.”
Buba added that the military has self-regulating mechanisms within its justice system to address any proven case of misconduct by soldiers.
He said, “The military has self regulating mechanisms with which it administers the military justice system to address any proven case of misconduct of personnel.
“It is worthy of note to state that the AFN led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has zero tolerance for indiscipline and any form of improper conduct during operations across the country. 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.
” Lastly, the AFN will remain focussed on its objective. We will be unperturbed by such self-serving statements targeted at dampening the morale of troops in operational theatres. Rather, we will engage constructively with Amnesty International, where available. Overall, we will continue on the trajectory of conducting operations assiduously to defeat terrorism in our nation. “
