The Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in North-East Nigeria, (SIIP North-East), has concluded its final panel sitting, and presented its report to the National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC) and the Nigerian public in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The panel produced a three-part report, following reports by media group, Reuters, alleged that the Nigerian Military conducted illegal and forced termination of 10,000 pregnancies, extrajudicial killing of children, and the violation of the rights of women, through targeted attacks, during counter-insurgency operations in North-East Nigeria.
The panel’s chairman, Justice Abdu Aboki, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, gave a summarised version of the allegations.
“In the first report titled “the Abortion Assault” and published on its website on the 7th of December 2022, Reuters alleged that between 2013 and November 2021, the Nigerian military has conducted a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the country’s northeast, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls who were former captives, rescued from Boko Haram insurgents.”
In the second report titled, ‘Smothered, Poisoned and Shot,’ Reuters alleged the engagement by the military, in systematic targeting and killing of children, claimed to be offspring of Boko Haram insurgents, while the third report alleged various human rights violations, suffered by women in the Boko Haram conflict, including, the deliberate targeting and killing of women and children, through airstrikes”
The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, who received the Report on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, said it is in response to these grave concerns, that the NHRC, established the independent panel, to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation.
“As part of our commitment to ensuring the panel’s recommendations are fully realized, the NHRC will be embarking upon series of public consultations and conversations on the report. The first of this series will be taking place in Maiduguri next week. We plan to host similar forums in Damaturu and Yola.”
The NHRC also says that it will liaise with its UN partners, to propose human rights-based programmes, focused on the resettlement and reintegration of returnees and vulnerable populations.
Editor Oloyede Oworu
