The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday set in motion, machinery to investigate damning allegations by Amnesty International alleging that Nigerian troops were involved in rape of several female IDPs as well as engaging in food for sex bait against helpless IDPs.
This followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance initiated by Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna Central), who requested for the need to critically take a position on the revelations contained in the report.
Tabled under order 42 of the Senate standing rules, the Senator presented a copy of the report as compiled by Amnesty International noting that the Senate had an obligation to safeguard the nation’s integrity and image before the international community.
Sani lamented that many of the women allegedly abused and tortured by military personnel were those who survived or escaped Boko Haram attacks, only to end up being raped and tortured by those who should have protected and secured them.
His words, “This report is damning and indicting, and has been presented globally and has the capacity to ridicule and present the Nigerian nation in a very bad light.
Read Also:
- Troops Arrest 9 Vandals Stealing Bold Spikes of NNPC Floating Bouys in Lagos; Arrest Kidnappers in Ogun
- Army Rescue 16 Kidnapped Victims in Gwoza; Neutralize 4 Notorious Terrorists in Gujba, Recover Arms, Ammunition
- Foiled Attack: MNJTF Troops Neutralize 5 Boko Haram Terrorists in Mallam Fatori, Capture Cache of Arms
“As an institution, we have a duty to protect human rights. Amnesty international report contains all that we need to ask questions as to how this war is being prosecuted.
“There’s that moral duty for us as a democracy to demand explanations if such gory tales are told in connection with activities of our security personnel.
“The same personnel who have been sacrificing their lives to protect the integrity and lives of Nigerians, and for which we remain eternally grateful.”
Supporting the motion, Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, from Kebbi, called for a careful look into the report saying, “The nature and character of what we are dealing with in Nigeria makes it practically impossible not to have these kinds of scenarios.
He said it is mainly due to the fact that the enemies are not openly known as they have gone by different names and nomenclature, such as Boko Haram and insurgents.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who presided, called for a careful analysis and investigation of the report before a legislative position could be taken on it.
Saraki said the report should not be looked at purely from a human rights point of view, adding that an ad-hoc committee would be best suited to carry out the task of investigating the issues at stake.
END
