The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr
\nMohammed Adoke, on Monday said that more than 40 Boko Haram members had
\nbeen convicted for terrorism-related crimes.
\nAdoke made this known at the opening of an International seminar on the
\nObservance of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in Internal
\nSecurity Operations in Abuja.
\nThe seminar declared opened by President Goodluck Jonathan was cohosted by
\nthe Office Attorney-General and the Office of the National Security
\nAdviser (NSA).
\nAdoke said the considerable efforts of government had been made possible
\nthrough the prosecution of members of the sect under the Terrorism
\nPrevention Act, 2011 as amended in 2013.
\nThe attorney-general commended the roles of members of the armed forces
\nand other law enforcement agencies in containing terrorism and other
\nrelated crises in the country.
\nHe said the seminar was to sensitise the participants, particularly
\nmembers of the armed forces, to comply with relevant human rights and
\ninternational humanitarian laws and norms during internal security
\noperations.
\nAdoke noted that the military had been effective in maintaining law and
\norder and restoring normalcy to many crises areas in the country.
\nHe said the intervention sometimes attracts negative reactions from
\naffected communities on accounts of loss of lives and alleged use of
\nexcessive force.
\nAdoke recalled the incidence in Odi, Bayelsa, and Zaki Biam, Benue, both
\nin 2001, where damages were awarded against Nigeria in billions of Naira
\nby the International Criminal Court (ICC)
\n\u201cAllegations of human rights abuses and non-adherence to applicable rules
\nof engagement leveled against those involved in quelling crises coupled
\nwith adverse reports from human rights advocates have tended to put the
\ncountry on the spotlight in the international community.
\n\u201cThe sad events that occurred in Odi in Bayelsa in 2001 and Zaki Biam in
\nBenue, also in 2001 led to the award of damages against the Federal
\nGovernment.
\n\u201cThe court awarded N37 billion against the Federal Government in respect
\nof Odi incident and N42 billion for the Zaki Biam incident, which was
\nlater negotiated to eight billion naira.
\n\u201cThe unpleasant consequences of the extra-judicial killing of Malam Yusuf
\nMohammed, leader of the Boko Haram sect in Borno in 2009, still
\nreverberate in the polity despite the N100 million compensation that the
\ncourts ordered government to pay to the deceased\u2019s family.
\n\u201cThe point being made is that government can ill-afford to bear these huge
\nfinancial liabilities in the face of increasing responsibilities and
\ndwindling resources,\u2019\u2019 he said.
\nAdoke also made reference to the criticism that trailed the deployment of
\ntroops to the trouble North-East states and the Baga incidence in Borno.
\nHe said the civil disturbances in the central, Kaduna, Plateau, the
\nmilitancy in the Niger Delta, and the terrorist activities of the Boko
\nHaram had been under preliminary analysis by the ICC.
\n\u201cThe prosecutor\u2019s report of Aug. 5, 2013, established that the Boko Haram
\nsect was carrying out crimes against humanity as prescribed under Article
\n7 of the Rome Statute of the ICC, particularly murder and persecution.
\n\u201cThe prosecutor has since proceeded to the admissibility stage of
\ndetermining whether Nigeria is `willing and able\u2019 to prosecute the
\nperpetrators of these crimes,\u2019\u2019 he said
\nAdoke, therefore, declared that government would continue to take steps
\nnecessary at discharging its primary responsibilities of ensuring the
\nsecurity and welfare of the people.
\nHe charged members of the armed forces and other security agencies to
\nensure that they discharge their duties within the confine of the laws and
\nnorms.
\n\u201cAs Attorney General, I am particularly concerned about the way and manner
\nmembers of the armed forces discharge their responsibilities within the
\ncontext of our current security challenges.
\n\u201cI wish to reaffirm government\u2019s determination to hold members of the
\narmed forces as well as other security forces to the highest professional
\nand ethical standards.
\n\u201cThey must adhere strictly to applicable rules of engagements and eschew
\nact of impunity.
\n\u201cI am pleased to observe that relevant human rights and international
\nhumanitarian law norms are mainstreamed in your curriculum and training
\nmanuals.
\n\u201cI, therefore, wish to caution that any member of the armed forces found
\nwanting in the observance of applicable rules of engagement during
\ninternal security operations would be held accountable.
\n\u201cMilitary authorities should, therefore, ensure their officers and men are
\nappropriately sensitised to ensure compliance,\u2019\u2019 he said.
\nThe attorney general enjoined the military high command to take steps to
\nfurther institutionalise the norms of civil engagement in all their
\noperations to avoid unpleasant consequences. (NAN)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, on Monday said that more than 40 Boko Haram members had been convicted for terrorism-related crimes. Adoke…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":23317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n