Alleged human rights violations: Army receives 350 complaints in three years

The Nigerian Army Human Rights Desk has said that it had it received 350 alleged human rights violation complaints against its personnel in three years.

Capt. Veronica Williams, Nigerian Army Human Rights Desk Officer, disclosed this at an accountability forum on civil-military relations in Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The theme for the forum is Strengthening Civil-Military Relations, Accountability and Human Rights in Nigeria.
It was organised by CLEEN Foundation, in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission and Institute for Peace and Conflicts Resolution.
Williams said that the desk was established in February 2016 in response to alleged human rights violations by troops of the Nigerian Army engaged in counter-insurgency and internal security operations in the country.
Williams, who was represented by Juliana Aboki, an investigator with the department, said that the complaints received include extrajudicial killings, assaults, threats to life, unlawful arrests, spouse and child abandonment among others.
“Assault, torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment were the highest complaints. It amounted to 15 per cent.

“Spouse and child(ren) abandonment, denial of access to child(ren) stood at 11.4 per cent, while unlawful dismissal from service and Nigerian Army courses was 11 per cent.

“Trespass, unlawful eviction and compulsory acquisition had 10.9 per cent, while unlawful arrests, detention and enforced disappearance was 10.6 per cent of the complaints received,” she said.
She added that the desk had so far treated 90 per cent of the cases, while 10 per cent were still under investigation.

She, however, called on Nigerians to call the army’s complaint number on 08160134303 to report any human rights violations meted against them by troops.