The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has stated that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is established by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore guided by laws in all its affairs and as such would not condone human rights abuses by its personnel.
Buratai further added that the Nigerian Army respects and protects human rights even in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
He also said the Army takes human rights issue very seriously and trains its personnel both locally and abroad on the issue.
The Army, he added, has also partnered with the National Human Rights Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, whose operatives visit Nigerian Army detention facilities on regular basis.
The COAS further added that the AFN has recognized 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.
These were contained in Buratai’s remarks at the Nigerian Bar Association workshop on: “Human Rights in Times of Conflict.”
It was held at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Borno State on Monday.
Similarly, Nigerian Bar Association with Nigerian Army have inaugurated human rights monitoring team as part of measures to improve human rights protection and abuse by security personnel.
In addition, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Augustine Alegbe, at the workshop in Maiduguri, lauded the military’s counter-insurgency efforts in the North East.