Amnesty International Report: Witch-hunting is immoral – Group warns Buhari

Calls have been made for the Amnesty International report that indicted top Nigerians Army Generals for allegedly engaging in war crimes, to be “holistic not selective.”

The Human Rights Writers Association and the Association of African Writers on Human and Peoples Rights stated this on Wednesday in a joint statement.

What do you expect the incoming government of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to handle first?

• C) Corruption (39%, 6,725 Votes)
• B) Power (28%, 4,886 Votes)
• A) Security (21%, 3,579 Votes)
• D) Unemployment (11%, 1,806 Votes)
• E) Undecided (1%, 176 Votes)

Total Voters: 17,172

The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to comprehensively analyse the report, adding that the report should not be used to witch hunt those who selflessly served their fatherland.

Amnesty International had on Wednesday, June 3 released a statement tagged “Stars on their shoulders; Blood on their hands” and called for the investigation into the alleged war crimes committed by the Nigerian military since March 2011 “killing more than 7,000 young men.”

According to the organization; “Amnesty International provides compelling evidence of the need for an investigation into the individual and command responsibilities of soldiers, and mid-level and senior-level military commanders.”

Director of Defence Information Major Gen Chris Olukolade in a press statement that was released to journalists, insisted that the Amnesty International allegation was the continuation of blackmail against the military hierarchy, and a distraction.

The co-coordinator of the groups, Emmanuel Onwubuiko stated that having gone through the report, he found that the report was baseless and targeted at some select people.
‎

”We met to once more look at the Amnesty International’s current report in which they investigated alleged violations of the rights of Boko Haram terrorists and singled out some top retired and serving generals for their so called indictment, but left out the Chief of Army Staff when the real war on terror started during Yar’Adua’s tenure which was even when Mohammed Yusuf the Founder of Boko Haram was extra judicially killed by the police.
“Who was the Chief of Army Chief then? Who is the NSA and who is in charge of counter terrorism war? Why did AI leave those names out?
“We also believe that if a probe is to be initiated, then let it begin from when the anti terror war started and even up to how black market was used to allegedly purchase weapons for Nigeria.
“Any probe must be holistic, comprehensive and all encompassing of all relevant players/stakeholders; from the inception of the insurgency in 2009 to date – spelling out key players as discussed.
“Selective probing, with a view to witch-hunting is on its own, a crime against morality and all that modern human society stands for and should never be contemplated.
“The terms of reference must include, the immediate/remote cause of the insurgency, the masterminds, the sponsors, their collaborators and sympathizers, defence equipment, arms and ammunition,” the group stated.