After Baga, no flowers for the Army (II)

Predictably, the Defence Headquarters has rejected the NHRC report. Brig-General Olukolade, the spokesman, called the report a “literature review” because according to him, the Commission did not visit Baga to see things before scripting it. Never mind that the Commission officials said the armed forces had refused to provide them the necessary security cover to […]

Predictably, the Defence Headquarters has rejected the NHRC report. Brig-General Olukolade, the spokesman, called the report a “literature review” because according to him, the Commission did not visit Baga to see things before scripting it. Never mind that the Commission officials said the armed forces had refused to provide them the necessary security cover to undertake the visit. In point of fact, the contents of the NHRC report didn’t differ substantially from what other independent sources had discovered, including the satellite images of Baga in the aftermath of the bloody confrontations with Boko Haram on 16th and 17th April, 2013; besides, similar patterns had been observed when the NA overran Odi and Zaki Biam.
The NHRC report contains allegations of Boko Haram “attacks on numerous communities resulting in killings, rape, forced abduction and forced marriage of women, targeted attacks on teachers, schools, churches and places of worship; preventing farming communities from going to the farms, and attacks on health officials administering primary health activities, including maternal health and child immunisation programmes as well as many fatal attacks on security personnel and institutions.”
The report deplored the controversy on the casualty figures, arguing that “the impression has been created that certain thresholds or numbers of killing may be permissible as long as they are made to appear low.” The report maintained, rightfully, that what is important is an examination of “whether the nature of force that resulted in their killing was proportionate or disproportionate.”
The Boko Haram philosophy is definitely unacceptable to our people and the group’s murder of innocent people and destruction of their property is bound to alienate their most passionate supporters. Islam is being misinterpreted by those who don’t understand it; Boko Haram’s mode of operation is ungodly and satanic and the vast majority of Northern Muslims don’t share their philosophy of forcibly converting others to their faith. The religion brought by Prophet Muhammad Bin Abdullah, Islam (Peace), is stoutly opposed to compelling people to become Muslims and the shedding of the blood of the innocent or the mindless destruction of their property and the place of all those who perpetrate those crimes has surely been reserved at the bottom of hell.
But let there be no mistake, the phenomenon of Boko Haram flows directly from the failure of governance. Basic services have collapsed and along with the North West, the North Eastern part of Nigeria harbours the poorest citizens. Social Science and development experts have posited that aggressive behaviour and resort to violence are a direct outcome of poverty and deprivation, among other factors. The government continues to ignore recommendations for a rapid and drastic action to improve social conditions in these volatile areas in particular and the country in general.
Nevertheless, additional resources need to be invested to improve the lives of the people living under emergency; they must not be subjected only to the deleterious effect of bullets and bayonets. Those citizens are our compatriots and must be treated in a humane manner, notwithstanding the disparaging comments against Islam and Muslims which have become fashionable today. The government has totally abandoned its responsibilities and some citizens have become ill-educated, maladjusted and hostile.
The NHRC report has made far reaching recommendations in a country where extra-judicial killings have become acceptable. For example, the Commission recommended that RoEs or “rules of engagement should be adopted, published and regularly reviewed.” It also recommended “preparedness to acknowledge and offer redress for violation of these rules and other relevant standards of legality with respect to these operations. Information should periodically be made available on any disciplinary measures invoked by the units under internal security deployment.”
The report equally reminded authorities that “prolonged detention of persons in un-gazetted places of detention and without access to the legal process or other safeguards under judicial supervision is not allowed under Nigeria’s constitution.”
The Commission’s report demanded “regular training to all personnel of the armed forces in the relevant standards as part of curriculum on internal security operations in the doctrine of the armed forces and security agencies generally.” Obviously, the NA needs lessons on human rights and how to protect them.
The NHRC report drew attention to the need for the creation of a “humanitarian corridor” to ensure supplies reach victims, as well as the protection of humanitarian workers. It advised that proper records of all those displaced should be kept; those not implicated to be assisted and implored the Nigerian government to cooperate with the UNHCR and neighbouring countries to ensure the welfare of refugees.
The report also advocated for the “rotation and renewal of the troops deployed in the North East….to facilitate rest and recuperation on the part of active service personnel” and to minimise PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder that may “predispose them to violations of host communities.”
It also counselled the federal government; MDAs and philanthropies to “urgently design and deploy mitigation mechanisms to prevent a foreseeable humanitarian emergency, including food security, nutritional and public health crisis in the States of North-East Nigeria.”
Finally, the Commission says it “desires to develop a comprehensive record of victimisation connected with the current security situation in Nigeria and invites information from all persons and institutions capable of contributing to this.”
Though the NHRC describes its report as interim, in a country notorious for cover ups, these findings are refreshing. Probably in the days ahead when it is given the necessary security cover, the Commission may be able to produce a more comprehensive and conclusive report.
The NHRC report does appear to be believable, and harmless, and so the desperate attempts to discredit it are needless. The NA will do well to give succour to the victims by deploying some of its massive budgetary allocations to procure basic necessities for all those affected and also try to calm the population and win their hearts and minds for durable peace. Here is hoping that in this month of Ramadan, the Commander – in – Chief and his troops will practice peace and restore the humanity of the citizens of these troubled States. Until then, the people of Baga have no flowers for the Nigerian Army.