Sunday Ejike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday inaugurated a Special Independent Investigative panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in North-East Nigeria (SIIP North East).
The panel, headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abdu Aboki, will, among other issues investigate the allegation of forced abortion levelled against the Nigerian Military.
While inaugurating the investigative panel, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) said, the Commission invoked its inherent, express and incidental powers as contained in Sections 5 and 6 of the NHRC Act as amended to constitute a special independent investigative panel, following the allegations of gross human rights violations contained in the three-part report published in December 2022 on military operations in the northeast by Reuters.
The panel, Ojukwu said, will investigate allegations of gross violations of national and international human rights laws/principles alleged against the Nigerian Armed Forces in the three reports by Reuters and receive a memorandum from individuals and organisations with interest in the subject matter of the mandate of the SIIP North-East, especially human rights, security and humanitarian organisations working in the North-East.
Other terms of reference, he said are to make appropriate determinations as to the culpability of individuals or institutions as may be deemed necessary in each circumstance, decide as to the damages or compensation payable about any violation of human rights where it deems necessary in the circumstances of the case and refer any matter of human rights violations requiring the prosecution to the Attorney General of the Federation or of a State, as the case may be.
He equally charged the panel to make recommendations to the government on institutional, Policy and Regulatory measures to be taken to integrate human rights principles and practices into military and counter-insurgency operations, propose remedial steps that may enhance the professional conduct of military personnel in counter-insurgency operations and any other related issues that the SIIP North-East may be considered appropriate.
The SIIP North-East, according to the NHRC boss, shall operate under the mandate of the National Human Rights Commission and shall enjoy its express and incidental powers under sections 6(1) and (2) of the NHRC Act.
He said, the allegations contained in the reports are grievous and present a major concern to everybody in the human rights field.
Ojukwu expressed the hope that the panel will work hard with all the human and other resources at its disposal to investigate and unravel the truth behind the allegations and ensure that justice is done in all appropriate cases and called for the support and cooperation of all stakeholders in the humanitarian efforts in the northeast to enable the panel to achieve its mandate.
Speaking on behalf of the members of the panel, Justice Aboki said, the protection of human rights and ensuring accountability and remedies for violations are the cardinal principle of every democracy and civilised society.
Violation of human rights by anybody or institution, he said should be treated with all sense of justice and accountability.
“Our Panel is encouraged and impressed by the concerns that have been shown by Nigerians and our international partners since the publication of the reports. It is now our job as a panel to investigate all the allegations of gross human rights violations raised in the reports.
“I am confident that with the support and cooperation of the Commission, the governments of the states of the northeast and the stakeholders in the northeast military and humanitarian responses, we will deliver on this monumental task before us.
“Our Panel will endeavour in every respect to abiding by the rules of natural justice. We will be fair and just to all manner of persons who appear before us as victims, witnesses, respondents, officers, Counsel and citizens”, he said and promised to do substantial justice devoid of technicalities.
