Buratai: Army now takes human rights issues seriously

Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, says there is no place for human rights violators in the army.

Buratai made the declaration at a workshop organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Maiduguri, Borno state capital.

According to Sani Usman, army spokesman, Buratai also declared that the “armed forces of Nigeria (AFN) was established by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria and therefore would be guided by laws in all its affairs”.

“He further added that the Nigeria army (NA) respects and protect human rights even in the fight against terrorism and insurgency. He also said that the NA takes human rights issue very seriously and trains its personnel both locally and abroad on the issue. The NA has also partnered NHRC and ICRC who visited NA detention facilities on regular basis,” Usman said in a statement.

“The COAS further added that the AFN have recognised the importance and respects the rule of law. He also said that there is no safe haven for Human Right violators in today’s Nigerian army.”

The statement also revealed that the NBA and the army have set up a human rights monitoring team to check abuse by officers and also improve the human rights record of the army.

The army had come under barrage of criticisms from international human rights watchdog, most especially Amnesty International, for alleged gross human rights abuses in the war against insurgency in the northeast.

In June, President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to look into petitions of human rights violations against the army, but the outcome of the probe is yet to be made public.