By Our Reporter
Amnesty International has accused the Nigerian military of being responsible for the deaths of over 10,000 people in detention since the start of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
At a press conference on Thursday, Amnesty’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, revealed that the organization had filed a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing Nigerian forces of committing crimes against humanity in the region.
“The Nigerian military has routinely treated anyone from areas under Boko Haram control as suspected members of the group,” Sanusi said.
He detailed documented cases of war crimes by government forces, including attacks on civilians, extrajudicial killings, torture, rape, and forced disappearances.
Amnesty’s investigation further suggests that members of the military may have committed acts such as murder, extermination, imprisonment, and gender-based persecution, potentially part of a coordinated policy to target civilians. A 2015 report by the organization concluded that these crimes were likely systematic.
The organization also condemned Boko Haram for widespread atrocities, including mass killings, abductions, and attacks on schools, particularly those aimed at preventing girls from receiving education.
“Boko Haram has carried out extensive abductions, especially of girls and young women, and has attacked schools to prevent what it considers ‘Western’ education,” the report noted.
Efforts to reach Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, for comment were unsuccessful, as calls and emails went unanswered at the time of publication.
Amnesty’s allegations come shortly after Nigeria’s Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), criticized the ongoing investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the Nigerian military. Fagbemi, in a statement issued on Monday, described the prolonged inquiry as unjust.
Speaking at the 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC in The Hague, Fagbemi reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to confronting impunity