Amnesty International (AI) has asked the Federal Government to investigate its claims of rights violation against the military as it testifies before the presidential panel of investigation to review compliance of the armed forces with human rights obligations and rules of engagement.
The organisation’s two staff – Anna Neistat, a Senior Director for Research and Netsanet Belay, it’s Director of Research and Advocacy for Africa were led in evidence by Prof. Ernest Ojukwu (SAN). Testimonies were taken in a closed session following a statement by Baley at the beginning of his testimony that video scenes which constitute part of his evidence may be obscene.
At the cross-examination of the witnesses that was in open session and led by counsel to the military, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN), the witnesses asked why AI was silent on the number of military casualties in the battle against Boko Haram between 2012-2017.
Responding, the first witness, Neistat said the mandate of AI is to document violence against civilians and not what happens to the warring parties.
Also, when asked if she had visited the theatre of operation as a researcher to get firsthand information for the report, the witness said, there were competent staff of the organization on grounds in the north, adding that reports were not just used on their own but had to be corroborated with other information and sources including from the military.
Also, when asked if its claim in its report, that the military committed war crimes in the north-east was an allegation or a conclusion, the witness insisted that there is a prima facie of war crimes against the military and urged that it be investigated.
