By Melvin Uche, Maiduguri
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has appealed to the Borno State government to give support to its Special Independent Investigative Panel set up to investigate human rights violations in the North-East.
The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, made the appeal over the weekend when members of the panel alongside officials of the commission paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur, at his Council Chamber in Maiduguri.
Ojukwu informed the Deputy Governor that the Special Independent Investigative Panel (SIIP ) was established in line with the inherent express and incidental powers of the NHRC under sections 5 and 6 of the Commission’s Act following the three part report of media group- Reuters in December 2022 alleging series of gross violations of international and national human rights laws by the Nigerian Armed Forces and the insurgents (Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists).
He further informed Kadafur that the SIIP would have the mandate of investigating allegations contained in the Reuters report and make recommendations on culpability and accountability and reforms along the lines of the alleged violations and on integrating human rights into counter- insurgency operations in Nigeria and North-East.
“Following the need for collaboration and active coordination with the Borno State government for the achievement of its mandate, I hereby on behalf of the SIIP North-East request facilitation to access government hospital mentioned in Reuters report; designation of a senior medical personnel from the state ministry of health to facilitate access to all government hospitals mentioned in the Reuters report. Provision of support to the Panel with accommodation, vehicles and security in Maiduguri.
“Provision of support and facilitation of access to all communities mentioned in the report for investigation and gathering of evidence among others,” the NHRC boss said.
In his remarks, Alhaji Kadafur welcomed the Panel to the state and assured that the state government would do everything possible to support the Panel and the NHRC to achieve its mandate.
He urged members of the panel to be mindful of the damages the Boko Haram insurgency had caused the state such as destruction of public infrastructures, all maner of human rights violations including raping and displacement of citizens.
Our correspondent reports that Reuters, an international media organisation had in its three- part report published in December last year, alleged that the Nigerian Military was involved in massacre of children and mass abortion, as well as other Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the North East counter- insurgency operations, hence the setting up of an investigative panel head by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abdul Aboki by the NHRC .
