- Amnesty International has urged the federal government not to relent in its fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast Nigeria
- Osai Ojigho, country director of the amnesty, called on the government to put in place law and systems that will punish the evil perpetrators
- The group was recently accused by Nigerian Army of demoralizing the troops fighting the insurgency through unfounded allegations of human rights abuse
Amnesty International (AI) called on the federal government to ensure that anyone involved in the activities of Boko Haram insurgency in Borno and other states of the north east are prosecuted and brought to justice.
Country director of Amnesty International Nigeria office (AI), Osai Ojigho, made this called on Saturday, May 4, in Maiduguri while addressing a group call KNIFAR women who are separated from their husbands by the conflicts, Leadership reports.
She said: ''I know that it has not been easy for particularly the people of Borno state and everyone that has been affected by Boko Haram crises. We have lost many lives, the communities. We can reclaim lives if human right is put in front burner of all issues, whether at state, federal or local government level.
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“We have been calling for justice, justice for everyone that has suffered loss of families, properties and livelihood, Justice against those who have caused this pain, who have brought this calamity upon us.
“We have been calling for an end to this insurgency, for an end to injustice and in the course of this we discovered how fight against insurgency has affected family lives, women, children, fathers, uncle, grand-fathers and grand- mother, the family circle is greatly affected by this insurgency.
“Families are no longer together, families that do not know where their love ones are, whether dead or alive, even those who are alive suffered calamities that will remain in the rest of their lives and this is story of KNIFAR women.
''But to ensure this does not happen again, we need to put in place law and systems that will punish those who commit these crimes, it is very important!”
Ojigho added.''Earlier, the Executive Director Al-amin Foundation, an NGO known as JIREH DOLE Network, Hajjia Alamin Hamsatu disclosed that a total of 2,000 women that were separated from their husbands by the insurgency in Banki town, Bama Local Government joined hands together to demand for the whereabouts of their husbands.
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''We have more than 2,000 of the women, we are calling on the authority to show us where our sons, husbands and fathers from Banki, Bama town, in Maiduguri are kept, these people were arrested and detained by authority for years.
''We don’t know whether they are alive or dead. Many of their children are asking after their parents, but we as their mothers did not have answer to this. “I never knew that the world could heard us, I am impressed with this support shown by AI and supporters. We call on the CSOs to join us to demand for the release of these people.”
Recall that Legit.ng reported that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including Amnesty International, were accused by the chief of Army staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, of demoralizing the troops fighting the insurgency in the northeast through unfounded allegations of human rights abuse.
The Army chief made the allegation at the Command Guest House, Maiduguri, Borno state, during an interactive session with journalists and members of the Guild of Editors (GE).
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Source: Legit.ng
