Amnesty International condemns Maiduguri killings demands independent investigation

The human rights group has called for thorough investigations into the alleged extra judicial killings by the Nigerian military.

 

 Nov. 2 (PREMIUM TIMES) – Amnesty International has condemned the killings carried out by the Nigerian security forces combating Boko Haram in Maiduguri and called for independent investigations.

The Nigerian military, witnesses say, killed at least 40 civilians in a raid late Thursday night in several neighbourhoods in Maiduguri, the bastion of the terrorist Boko Haram sect.

“These reports from Maiduguri are shocking,” said Salil Shetty as he prepared to leave Nigeria.

“They underline the importance of Amnesty International’s call for thorough investigation into all reports of human rights violations.”

The killings are coming a day after human rights group, Amnesty International, released a report condemning the high handedness of the Nigerian security in combating the terrorist Boko Haram sect.

The rights group said Nigerian security forces extra judicially executed, detained without trial or charge and forced the disappearance of hundreds of people accused of links to the Boko Haram sect.

“As Amnesty International’s report, launched this week, already emphasized, the security services must act within the law. You can’t build security through creating insecurity,” Mr. Shetty said.

Amnesty said it is receiving the reports of the Maiduguri killings just as its Secretary General, Salil Shetty, concluded a high level mission to Nigeria over the damning report it released November 1.

Amnesty International said they had met the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohmmed Adoke, following the launch of the report where he, on behalf of the President, made commitments to investigate all reports of human rights violations by the security forces and said that any state actor found responsible will be brought to justice.