Amnesty International plotting to smear the military, says DHQ

The defence headquarters says it has received credible intelligence of a plan by Amnesty International(AI) to release a false report on fictitious rape incidents in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the north-east.

In a statement on Wednesday, John Agim, acting director of defence information, described the alleged action as a “malicious trend.’’

“This malicious trend by AI is becoming a frequent ritual and it is rather unfortunate,” he said.

Agim said under current situation in the country, AI was expected to apply the natural law of liaison by working with security agencies as partners.

“This would have been the best way to ensure that insurgency and crisis are completely wiped off rather than engaging in falsehood, maligning the military and painting it in bad light at any slight opportunity,’’ he said.

He advised AI to desist from cooking reports “from time to time to demoralise the entire military system and the nation as a whole whose troops are sacrificing their lives in the fight against Boko Haram and other enemies of the country”.

According to him, false reports which are capable of derailing the good work being done by our patriotic and selfless soldiers, must stop.

He urged Nigerians to continue to trust and support the military in the ongoing war against the Boko Haram sect while going about their normal lawful businesses.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the human rights group announced that it would launch ‘‘They Betrayed Us: Women who survived Boko Haram subject to violence and abuse in Nigeria”, a report on the alleged atrocious acts of soldiers and civilian joint task force in the north-east.