NIGERIA-MILITARY/AMNESTY-FILE Amnesty says Nigerian military responsible for deaths of 8,000 prisoners

Record ID: 150002

  • Title: NIGERIA-MILITARY/AMNESTY-FILE Amnesty says Nigerian military responsible for deaths of 8,000 prisoners
  • Date: 3rd June 2015
  • Summary: MUBI, NIGERIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARMY TANKS AND PERSONNEL MOVING ON A ROAD IN NORTHEAST NIGERIA MADAGALI, NIGERIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DAMAGED CARS AFFECTED IN BOMB BLAST NORTHEAST, NIGERIA (FILE) (REUTERS) WOMEN WALKING ON DESERTED ROAD IN NORTH EAST
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAZNG50C145JGTW02ORNJTG0LG
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    Nigeria's armed forces have killed 8,000 prisoners and carried out war crimes during its fight with militant Islamist group Boko Haram, Amnesty International said on Wednesday (June 3).
    In a 133-page report, the charity said more than 1,200 people had been extrajudicially executed since March 2011 and over 7,000 died in military detention due to starvation, overcrowding, torture and denial of medical assistance.
    "This report is a very comprehensive investigation based on years of research into war crimes and potential crimes against humanity committed by Nigerian military, this report presents cases of extra judicial executions, massive deaths in detention, torture and forced disappearances and massive arbitrary arrests and most importantly in this report we name the officials who we believe are individually responsible or bear command responsibilities for these violations. These are some of the highest levels of military command in Nigeria and first and foremost we are calling for an investigation to establish their responsibility and to bring them to justice," senior director of research at Amnesty International, Anna Neistat said.
    Major General Christopher Olukolade, a spokesman for Nigeria's armed forces was not available for comment, despite several calls from Reuters.
    Boko Haram has carried out a six-year insurgency during which it has tried to establish an Islamic caliphate in the northeast of Africa's biggest economy and top oil exporter, killing thousands and leaving 1.5 million people displaced.
    Muhammadu Buhari, the new president, has vowed to defeat Boko Haram, who he called "mindless" and "godless", and is holding talks on Wednesday with his counterparts in Niger and Chad on how best to tackle the insurgency.
    The militants controlled a swathe of territory around the size of Belgium at the start of the year but have lost most of that ground in recent months due to the combined efforts of troops from Nigeria and neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
    Amnesty International said many of the people executed by the armed forces were shot dead inside detention facilities, despite presenting no danger, in violation of international humanitarian laws.
    "Amnesty international believes that the main causes of death in detention was starvation, stress suffocation, severe overcrowding that led to spread of diseases, torture, lack of medical attention and the use of fumigation chemicals in unventilated cells. This conclusion is based on eyewitness and expert testimonies, analysis of video and photographic evidence as well as information contained in internal media correspondences," said Netsanet Belay, Africa director, research and advocacy at Amnesty International.
    The United States and Britain said on Friday (May 29) they were ready to increase military cooperation with Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram.
    "We are also calling on countries, specifically countries that provide significant military assistance to Nigeria including United States, UK and other countries. Again there is detailed information about that in the report to do the same to encourage investigations into potentially... condition for the military assistance on the Nigerian government willingness to engage in this work." Neistat said during the news conference.
    In his inauguration speech, Buhari said allegations of human rights abuses by the military would be addressed.
    Amnesty said Nigerian troops rounded up thousands of men, and boys as young as nine, in Boko Haram strongholds. Many of those held were executed or died in custody if their families were unable to pay a bribe.
    Descriptions of conditions in which detainees died also refer to a lack of food provision, which caused many to starve, and severe overcrowding that led to the spread of diseases.
    Amnesty said its report was based on about 400 interviews with a range of sources including victims, eyewitnesses and members of the armed forces, as well as videos and photographs.
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