Contrary to preliminary examination activities by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that its prosecutor could press three cases against the Nigerian government, the Global Amnesty Watch (GWA) has commended the Federal Government for its effort in tackling threats to humanity.
The international humanitarian organisation made this known, yesterday, in a detailed report opposing ICC’s recent report with a view to putting issues in proper perspective.
Among others, the international tribunal listed Nigeria as one of the countries being probed for alleged war and international human rights crimes.
On the opposite, however, Global Amnesty Watch believes the Nigerian authorities have done sufficiently well in its prosecution of the war against terrorism in Nigeria.
In the report signed by the Africa representative, John Tom Lever, GAW acknowledged some challenges were faced along the way but explained that prompt and countermeasures were put in place.
The Global Amnesty Watch added that the issues identified by the ICC are those already addressed by a presidential panel of inquiry and found the military innocent.
After thoroughly examining the facts, the group concluded that indeed, the Nigerian military lived up to expectation and the position of the ICC is “misleading and not a reflection of the reality on the ground”.
In the interest of fairness to all, Global Amnesty Watch, therefore, called on the ICC to investigate Boko Haram, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and others over war crimes.
The International Criminal Court, in its 2019 edition of the annual report on preliminary examination activities, identified three cases that could be pressed against Nigerian authorities as issued by the office of its prosecutor headed by Mrs. Fatou Bensouda.
The report, amongst a host of others, listed Nigeria as one of the countries being probed for alleged war and international human rights crimes.
The possible crimes against the Nigerian Security and Civilian Joint Task Force include killings, torture or ill-treatment of military-aged males suspected to be Boko Haram members or supporters in the North-East.
The report also identified attacks against civilian populations and recruitment and use of children under 15 to participate in hostilities.
“The Position of the Global Amnesty Watch: The Global Amnesty Watch as an international humanitarian organization with a mandate of serving as that watchdog on human rights compliance by governments and organizations around the world decries the methodology employed by the ICC in arriving at most of the findings in its report, especially that aspects that relates to the Nigerian military and its prosecution of the war against terrorism in North-East Nigeria.
“The position of the ICC is at best misleading and not a reflection of the reality on the ground because of its failure to recognize appropriate mechanisms put in place by the Nigerian authorities to ensure that cases of excessive use of forces, human rights violations and other sundry issues by Nigerian military personnel are addressed.
“Special Board of Inquiry: The ICC may wish to recall that the Nigerian Army had indeed constituted a Special Board of Inquiry headed by Major General A.T. Jibrin (rtd), which investigated the cases of misdemeanour by officers and men of the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism in North-East Nigeria and other security operations in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.
“The Global Amnesty Watch as a stakeholder is privy to the content of the report and in times past called for it to be given wide publication in an attempt to put to rest the controversies that had raged around the efforts of the Nigerian military to secure the country and keep its citizens safe from terrorist and other militant groups in the country.
“Presidential Investigative Panel: In the aftermath of public outcry in human rights violations against the Nigerian military in respect to the IMN and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a presidential investigative panel was instituted by the Nigerian government and headed by Justice Georgewill Biobele to review extant rules of engagement applicable in the Armed Forces and the extent of compliance with them.