The Coalition on Conflict Resolution
and Human Rights in Nigeria has described as false recent report in the media
credited to Amnesty International that over 60 persons were killed in
Rann area of Borno State by members of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Amnesty International had in a
statement claimed that at least 60 people were killed following the 28 January
devastating Boko Haram attack on Rann, a border town in Borno state, northeast
Nigeria.
However, the human rights group said
its investigative tour of the theatre didn’t only reveal that Amnesty
International lied on its claim, it also showed that INEC’s decision to conduct
elections in all the polling units across the north-east was well placed with
the realities on ground.
The coalition made this known in a
preliminary report presented on Monday in Maiduguri, the Borno State
capital.
The report signed by its President/Convener,
Gabriel Oche, said it was high time the Nigerian government began the process
of expelling organizations such as Amnesty International from the country for
its notoriety.
"The current news making the
rounds on Boko Haram attacks in Rann, Damaturu road and other parts of the
North East necessitated the Coalition on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights
in Nigeria to activate a team of researchers to undertake an assessment tour of
the above mentioned areas with a view to leaving the realm of speculation
and to put things in proper perspective.
"The operations of the Boko
Haram terrorists in North East Nigeria have been the subject of debate across
various platforms in Nigeria. While it has been stated in numerous forums that
Boko Haram has been degraded, some organizations have countered the argument
indicating that Boko Haram has instead intensified its operations against the
Nigeria state.
"The Nigerian military, on the
other hand, has been in the vanguard of engaging the terrorist and this has
resulted in casualties on both sides. This much has been evident in ensuring
that peace is restored to North East Nigeria and the safe return of Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes and communities," the report read.
The Coalition added thatfrom
previous reports on the activities of the Nigerian military in North East
Nigeria, it has been revealed that the since 2015 the Nigerian military gained
grounds and recovered many territories that were once under the control of Boko
Haram terrorists and it has continually engaged the Boko Haram terrorists, who
have resorted to using Nigeria’s neighbours (Chad, Niger, and Cameroon) as
retreat areas whenever they come under heavy bombardment from the Nigeria
military," they said.
They said that Boko Haram Terrorist
have also set up training camps along the fringes and use such location to
launch attacks in communities in Nigeria and after that retreat to these
countries. This is despite the memorandum of understanding signed between
Nigeria and the francophone countries towards forming an alliance to combat
terrorism in Sub Saharan Africa.
"There also have been
established cases of external support towards the Boko Haram terrorist,
especially with the affiliation of the Islamic State of West African Province
(ISWAP) and other terrorist’s networks in the world.
"Consequently, this report
looks critically at the claims made by the Nigeria Army towards degrading the
Boko Haram Terrorists and also the counterclaims made by some organizations
such as Amnesty International and others.
"It has been widely speculated
by Amnesty International (AI) that Boko Haram launched a deadly attack in Rann,
Borno State that saw to the death of over 60 people. It also stated that the
Boko Haram terrorist have been terrorizing travellers on the Damaturu Road, as
well as other parts of North East Nigeria, therefore puncturing the claims by
the Nigerian Army that the Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded.
"Amnesty International has
engaged the Nigerian Military with accusations of human rights violations and
their inability to protect the people of North East Nigeria from Boko Haram
terrorist that has led to a wanton loss of lives and properties. It also
alluded that there have been constant Boko Haram attacks in Rann and other
parts of North East Nigeria in recent times that have seen the Nigerian
military lose grip of its core responsibilities and with a dampened morale as a
result of heavy casualties it has suffered in the battlefield.
"The group of researchers
deployed for on the spot assessment of the various claims as postulated by
Amnesty International came up with the verdict that the bulk of the position of
Amnesty International is not an accurate reflection of the issues on the
ground.
"The Rann Attacks was amplified
and misrepresented to the general public by Amnesty International. It was also
gathered that Amnesty International acted in a manner that suggested that it
has foreknowledge of the activities of Boko Haram as in the case of Rann and
the speed with which it went to press was suspect.
"Some residents of the area
that were interviewed shared the same sentiment on the possibility of Amnesty
International working in cahoots with either some foreign interests or with the
Boko Haram terrorists themselves. It was therefore concluded that the
hype around the Rann Attack is mischievous and misleading.
"The team of researcher also
carried out extensive investigations on the claims that Damaturu and Maiduguri
to ascertain the veracity of the claims that the area has been under constant
attacks. It was realized that the claims are mostly false and based on rumours
and assumptions. The proponents of the claims did not bother to verify their
claims before making it public knowledge.
"From the reports gathered from
locals and other credible sources, the Nigerian military has been able to
maintain a firm grip of the security of most communities in North East Nigeria.
This is contrary to claims in the public space that some communities in North
East Nigeria were under the control of Boko Haram Terrorists.
Again, it is misleading and not the
exact representation of the situation on the ground. As a fact, the special
force battalion has been able to sustain a high level of morale amongst the
troops which have reflected positively in their various operations in the North
East.
"The activities of some
non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International have been
misleading to members of the general public. Some NGOs have carried on their
actions in such a manner that connotes espionage. They hide under cover of NGO
to ask questions and demand for sensitive information especially on the
operational strategies of the military.
'It was also discovered that some of
the NGOs have in their employ French-speaking staff from some francophone
countries. This trend has further heightened the suspicion that some of the NGO
s operating in North East Nigeria might be working against Nigeria’s
interest," they said.
They added that their researcher was
able to uncover some details about some senior staffers in some of the NGOs
that might suggest why they have been ferocious in their criticism of the
operations of the Nigerian military in North East Nigeria.
They said: "For example, Awwal
Rafsanjani who chairs the affairs of Amnesty International in Nigeria is a
member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). He has been known for his
affiliations with the IMN since his university days in Bayero University Kano.
It, therefore, would not be out of place to conclude that Amnesty International
would indeed show bias in its reportage of the activities of the Nigerian
military in North East Nigeria.
"The researchers also
identified another example in Isah Sanusi, the public relations officer of
Amnesty International. Isah Sanusi is a former staff BBC Hausa and also a
member of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria and who is known to have promoted
hate speeches, religious bigotry, and intolerance.
"The research team concluded
that Amnesty International and other organizations such as Transparency
International (TI) and Civil Society Legislative Centre (CISLAC) carries on
with an agenda that defeats objectivism in all ramification and with a penchant
for spreading falsehood and half-truths to the general public.
"There is relative peace in all
the communities that were visited by the team of researchers at random
cutting across the states and therefore corroborates the position of the
Independent National Electoral Commissions’ position that elections can now
take place in all the communities."
The efforts of the military, they
said are entirely laudable.
"The relevant authorities must
warn the populace on the dangers posed by some identified NGOs in North East
Nigeria
The relevant authorities must begin
a security audit of all the international NGOs operating in North East
Nigeria.
"The relevant authorities must
begin the process of expelling organizations such as Amnesty International from
Nigeria for its notoriety.
"The relevant authorities must
make it mandatory for all NGOs in North East Nigeria to submit a weekly report
of its activities in North East Nigeria to the Nigerian Military for vetting
and approval before making public.
"The relevant authorities must
peg the number of NGOs that can operate in North East Nigeria in a bid to curb
espionage activities.
"Nigerians should be more
concerned about humanitarian issues and lack of infrastructure in the
locality," the report read.
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