The true test of any democracy is its ability to regulate itself when situations so demand. It appears that Nigeria has arrived at this pass following the recent release of an Amnesty International (AI) report alleging wide-ranging perpetration of war crimes by the Nigerian military in its anti-insurgency operations against the militant Boko Haram movement.
In a 133-page report titled Stars on Their Shoulders, Blood on Their Hands: War Crimes Committed by the Nigerian Military, the human rights body claims that over 1,200 people have been extra-judicially executed by soldiers or allied vigilante groups since February 2012. It also states that at least 20,000 people, mainly boys and young men, have been arbitrarily arrested and detained in inhuman conditions, resulting in at least 7,000 deaths. The anti-insurgency campaign, AI alleges, has been distinguished by “countless acts of torture” and enforced disappearances.
Amnesty says its investigations took place between 2013 and 2015, and involved interviews with officers and men of the military, alleged victims and witnesses of military brutality, and visits to mortuaries where the corpses of deceased detainees were kept. It has named five senior officers of the Nigerian military whom it believes should be probed, and has forwarded its findings to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for further action.
Nigeria’s military authorities have denounced the report, accusing AI of racism and bad faith. Its spokesmen have said that military operations have always been conducted with a view to minimising civilian casualties, and have pointed out that collateral damage is especially likely given the non-conventional nature of the conflict and the tactics of Boko Haram.
These accusations are deeply troubling. Whether they are true or not, they imply the persistence of a disconcerting impunity and lack of accountability that has dogged the military in places like the Niger Delta and Plateau State. Prior to its six-week push in February 2015, the military campaign against Boko Haram was troubled by internal disciplinary issues which have seen dozens of court-martials and dismissals. Given the seriousness of the allegations, it is imperative that they be investigated thoroughly, completely and comprehensively.
The allegations revolve around fundamental human rights issues which cannot be ignored by any nation that is genuinely interested in the welfare of its citizens. Long before local and international advocacy groups took notice, indigenes of north-east Nigeria were complaining about the military’s heavy-handedness, especially the way in which it demolished homes and carried out arbitrary arrests and detentions while searching for suspected militants. Such complaints deserve to be looked into on their own merit.
There is also the fact that a more nuanced approach to the anti-insurgency campaign is likely to facilitate its lasting resolution. Repressive tactics by the military ultimately serve to help Boko Haram by attracting more people to their cause. The young men of the north-east must never be put in a situation where they feel that they have to choose between being maltreated by the military and fighting for Boko Haram.
Rather than impugn the integrity of organisations like AI, Human Rights Watch and local human rights groups, the military would do well to cooperate in the investigation of these accusations. It is difficult to see what these organisations hope to gain from making false accusations against our military which, for all its faults, has been widely acknowledged for superlative peace-keeping performances around the world.
Fortunately, the Buhari administration has reacted to the Amnesty report with a better attitude than its predecessor and has promised to look into it. Nothing less than the setting up of a high-powered investigative panel will suffice. It must be made up of distinguished citizens with backgrounds in the military, the judiciary and civil society, and must get to the truth of the matter, regardless of who is exposed.
