The House of Representatives is collaborating with other parliaments including the United Kingdom’s House of Commons in a bid to minimise the level of human right violation committed by the Nigerian Army in the course of discharging its function of peace keeping.
Rimande Shawulu, chairman House Committee on Army disclosed this during an interactive session with Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Army Staff at the Nigerian Army headquarters in Abuja, who pledged the resolve of the Nigerian Army towards protecting human rights.
Buratai explained that the Nigerian Army recently launched the Nigerian Army Human Rights Policy in a bid to “get things in order and get its personnel to be law abiding.”
According to him, arrangements are ongoing for the launch of Operation Rescue Final aimed at salvaging all abducted persons including the Chibok girls.
Speaking earlier, Shawulu who expressed concern over the series of petitions and motions against security agencies including Nigerian Army, explained that the Committee has undertaken several investigative tours and conducted two public investigative hearings on the matter.
“We are aware that becaue your men and women are currently deployed in almost all the States performing functions, which ordinarily should be performed by the Civil authorities, areas of friction and exposure of the Army will definitely increase.
“We are requesting for quicker responses to the issues and matters referred from the Committee to you. This is important to assure members of the public that there is a channel that can lead to legal, constitutional and peaceful resolution of their complaints. This will ensure that people do not seek extra legal resolutions.
“We are also aware that in the discharge of your responsibilities, the Army has been accused of violation of human rights. At this interaction, we had with the house of Commons in the UK, this issue was brought up.
“We are working with other parliaments to further discuss the challenges security forces in the region are facing in view of the fact that the definition of enemies has changed and as well the tactics and strategies of such groups are usually not conventional.
“We hope that the appropriate legislations would be updated to meet the current challenges, to protect the people as well provide the enabling environment for security forces to operate.
“In our quest to ensure that proper synergy is built between the security agencies and the Legislature, we have organised an interactive session on ‘The emerging security threats and the Legislature’. We have written your office officially to send five officers to participate in the workshop. One of them is expected to give us the Army’s perspective of the current challenges.
“We want to assure you that we will work with you to create the environment for the Army to excel. We would be making further enquiries and asking more questions, the purpose of which is the general improvement of your infrastructure, equipment and work conditions/environment,” Shawulu said.
