Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the newly appointed security chiefs in Nigeria to uphold the rights of citizens while executing their tasks.
Addressing the media in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the HURIWA Executive Director, Emmanuel Onwubiko, advised the service chiefs against abusing professional ethics of soldiering.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Major-General Lucky Irabor Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo Chief of Naval Staff), and Air Vice Marshal Isiaka Amao Chief of Air Staff.
‘It is a truism that the primary roles of the Nigerian army are to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and to assist the civil authority when called upon to do so’, said Onwubiko.
‘Noticeably, in discharging these constitutional responsibilities, there have been allegations of human rights violations against the Nigerian army by local and international human rights campaigners – civil society groups and non-governmental organisations like the Amnesty International, Transparency International and Human Rights Watch, among others.
‘One of the organisations that constantly kept the Nigerian army on its toes is the Amnesty International; an international rights watchdog which constantly released negative reports on the army’s handling of human rights issues’.
Amnesty International, in a report, titled, My Heart Is In Pain: Older people’s experience of conflict, displacement, and detention in Northeast Nigeria, cited cases of many elderlies reportedly being held unlawfully in detention by the military.
In its response, the Nigerian army dismissed the report.
‘These claims portrayed the Nigerian army in bad light, created rancor and distrust between the army and the civil populace, dampened the morale of troops in the operational arenas, almost distracted the military leadership and maligned the image and reputation of the Nigerian army’.
The HURIWA boss stressed the importance of retaining the human rights desk, public complaint rapid response unit, and toll free call centre to consolidate on past achievements.
Source: Vanguard
Photo source: Femi Adesina
