The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Burutai on Monday says in a bid to improve human rights protection and reduce abuses of civilians by military personnel, the Nigerian Army in conjunction with the Nigerian Bar Association has inaugurated a human rights monitoring team.
This is coming at the background of several accusations by Amnesty International and other international rights groups of brutalization and human rights abuses by the Nigerian Army in the war against Boko Haram insurgents.
A statement signed by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations noted that the information was disclosed by Burutai at the NBA workshop on ‘Human Rights in times of Conflict,’ organized at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.
The Army Chief said the Nigerian Army was established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, therefore, guided by its laws in all its affairs.
Burutai said the Nigerian Army respected and protected human rights even as it prosecute the war against terrorism and insurgency, adding that issues of human rights were taken more seriously in the army.
“The Nigerian Army has also partnered National Human Rights Commission and International Committee of Red Cross who visited Army detention facilities on regular basis.”
The Army Chief further stated that the Nigerian Army cannot harbour human rights violators.
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