From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Miffed by the damning human right abuse report against the Nigerian Army, a security group, Citizens Initiative for Security Awarness (CISA) has claimed that international rights group, Amnesty International (AI) is instigating Nigerians against the military.
In the report titled “MY HEART IS IN PAINS: Older People’s Experience of Conflict, Displacement and Detention in North East Nigeria”, the rights group had devoted a whole part of the report to falsely and maliciously accuse the Nigerian military of “targeting older people” in the North East where the war against terror is ongoing.
Reacting to the report at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, National Coordinator of CISA, Chidi Omeje, urged the federal government to sanction Amnesty International over the report.
Tagged; “Time to call Amnesty International to order, CISA noted: “One of the fallouts of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East and violent crimes in other parts of Nigeria is the heavy influx of foreign Non-Governmental Organisations (fNGOs) into the country.
“Acting under the banner of providing humanitarian interventions and assistance to victims of terrorism and sundry violent crimes, a huge number of such organisations from different parts of the world are currently operating in many parts of Nigeria.
“Ideally, NGOs work in the field or fund those who work in the field, to provide humanitarian relief and development assistance to crisis-torn communities and regions. They play pivotal roles in terms of establishing and maintaining essential services like assisting refuges and internally displaced persons and generally help strengthen society.
“Their interventions are meant to be altruistic and never to constitute any form of nuisance, obstacle or risk to their host community or country.
“However, the current situation in Nigeria presents a different scenario from the ideal. For instance, the almost indeterminate number of these organisations operating in the North East have hardly impacted positively or translated into a significant ease of life for the traumatized citizens.
“To the contrary, their presence have in some cases, compounded the misfortunes of the locals. Most worrisome is the danger to Nigeria’s national security which these NGO operators and their activities pose, as it is not unlikely that a lot of them that are gallivanting around as care givers are simply on subversive mission or engaged in other less than noble covert activities that are very inimical to our national security interest.
“The activity of Amnesty International is a case in point. In a pattern that has become all so consistent, Amnesty International has not left any discerning mind in doubt as to its determination to deliberately discredit the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North East of the country,” he said.
“However, the current situation in Nigeria presents a different scenario from the ideal. For instance, the almost indeterminate number of these organisations operating in the North East have hardly impacted positively or translated into a significant ease of life for the traumatized citizens.
“To the contrary, their presence have in some cases, compounded the misfortunes of the locals. Most worrisome is the danger to Nigeria’s national security which these NGO operators and their activities pose, as it is not unlikely that a lot of them that are gallivanting around as care givers are simply on subversive mission or engaged in other less than noble covert activities that are very inimical to our national security interest.
“The activity of Amnesty International is a case in point. In a pattern that has become all so consistent, Amnesty International has not left any discerning mind in doubt as to its determination to deliberately discredit the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North East of the country,” he said.
Speaking further, the security group noted: “It is in the light of this their ugly trajectory that CISA alerts Nigerians to yet another mendacious report by the organisation aimed at tarnishing the image and character of our military.
“According to the ludicrous report ridden with factual errors, contradictions and outright falsehood, older men and even women are detained and killed by the Nigerian troops in some parts of the conflict areas in the north east.
“Nigerians should out-rightly discountenance this report as it is unfounded and without any bases and be rest assured that our gallant troops are very professional and will not be deterred from the commitment to rid our country of terrorists and bandits despite these distractions.
“We consider this bogus claim as very unfortunate and cynical considering all the glaring efforts being made by our patriotic soldiers to observe the rules of engagement in their operations across the country.
“CISA is however not entirely surprised that Amnesty International could release such shoddy and hastily packaged report considering its well-known antecedent as an organisation quite desperate and utterly determined to blackmail and run our military down.
“CISA is however not entirely surprised that Amnesty International could release such shoddy and hastily packaged report considering its well-known antecedent as an organisation quite desperate and utterly determined to blackmail and run our military down.
“Their consistent negative profiling and demonization of Nigerian Armed Forces depicts more of a deliberate and well-orchestrated plan to discredit the country for the purpose that is yet to unravel.
It is indeed curious that an organisation that has never come out boldly to condemn terrorist activities in Nigeria is the one making song and dance about “extensive research” on the victims of the same terrorism that it finds hard to speak against.
“Even more curious is the fact that Amnesty International is always more active in presenting distractive allegations whenever the terrorists are losing ground in the battle with Nigerian military.
“Even more curious is the fact that Amnesty International is always more active in presenting distractive allegations whenever the terrorists are losing ground in the battle with Nigerian military.
“It is very unfortunate that it has again used that method, in this report, to further confirm the fact that they have been playing questionable roles in our counterterrorism efforts in Nigeria,” CISA said.
Appealing to the government to wield the big stick, the group noted: “In view of the above curious developments, CISA is strongly of the view that the government should not hesitate any longer in shinning its touch light on the activities of international NGOs operating in our country, including Amnesty International with a view to unearthing their ulterior motives and to sanction them appropriately.
“We also recommend immediate mapping of international NGOs operating in Nigeria be carried out. The mapping exercise is with a view to providing clearer picture of the situation on ground, and to determine a clear-cut policy backed by legislation that will guide the operation and activities of those organisations in Nigeria.
“Finally, we have a simple advice to Nigerians: Be wary of these International NGOs and take their reports on our battle against terrorism and banditry with a pinch of salt,” he said.
“We also recommend immediate mapping of international NGOs operating in Nigeria be carried out. The mapping exercise is with a view to providing clearer picture of the situation on ground, and to determine a clear-cut policy backed by legislation that will guide the operation and activities of those organisations in Nigeria.
“Finally, we have a simple advice to Nigerians: Be wary of these International NGOs and take their reports on our battle against terrorism and banditry with a pinch of salt,” he said.