BOKO HARAM: NORTHERN ELDERS ACCUSE FG OF GENOCIDE

A CURIOUS dimension was yesterday introduced to the ongoing military action to stem the tide of insurgency by the Boko Haram: The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) regard it as genocide and announced plans to drag the Federal Government before the International Crimes Court.

This was disclosed by the group’s spokesman, Ango Abdullahi, during an interview with the Voice of America (VOA).

The government has, however, clarified its approval of freedom for captured Boko Haram members. 

The group, whose name literally translates to Book is Evil, has been waging guerrilla war on the country since 2009, claiming responsibility for killing about 3000 people. It demands sovereignty from Nigeria and desires a state that will be ruled according to its strict interpretation of the Sharia.

An exasperated President had penultimate Tuesday declared emergency rule in three of the Northern states where the group had held civil and military authorities by the jugular. On Tuesday, the National Assembly endorsed the emergency rule.

But Abdullahi told the VOA yesterday: “What we are doing now is to organise our evidence that would make it possible for us to make a very strong case against the government and its agencies, or up to individuals who may be complicit, in terms of the human rights violations that have been taking place in the last few years.” 

He said the group had put together a team of lawyers that had been gathering evidence indicating that military officers were involved in the recent killing of civilians at Baga.

“There is sufficient evidence, from our point of view, in terms of human rights violations that have been going on with a lot of impunity in the last three years or so around the activities of the government and its agencies and around the country,” said Abdullahi. 

He added: “I think it’s because nobody seems to really take the matter seriously to draw attention, not only to other parts of the world, to the Nigerian authorities themselves.”
Abdullahi denied speculation that the Elders’ Forum is in any way linked to Boko Haram.

“We didn’t create the insurgents. It may have been created by somebody, but it is up to the government to prove a case that the insurgency has been created deliberately to cause havoc in the country,” said Abdullahi, adding: “It happens that perhaps if there is any indication … that this matter has been politicised, it must have been politicised by the government or its agencies.”

Abdullahi said that the government had been unable to resolve the security threats members of Boko Haram pose to the country.

“If this sect had been treated like many other sects that we’ve had in this country for many years, perhaps we would not be where we are now,” he said, adding: “There [have been] thousands of people detained in terribly inhumane conditions all over the country. 

Among the thousands of people that have been in detention for many years now, only one as far as I know is in court now.”      

Abdullahi said that the Elders group had decided to hold the government accountable for the extrajudicial killings he believed were sometimes carried out by military officials.

Meanwhile, the Adviser to the President on Public Communication, Dr Doyin Okupe has clarified that President Goodluck Jonathan's directive to the Defence Headquarters was for the release of only women and children being held in place of their relatives who insurgents and are at large.

The move, he said, was sequel to the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation.

On the fate of the insurgents in custody, Dr Okupe said anyone found culpable would be prosecuted. 

The statement read: "It has become necessary to make further clarifications on the directive for the release of some people held in connection with activities of the Boko Haram sect, in view of misrepresentations in some sections of the Media.

"The order for the release of the detainees will be in phases. 
"Concerning the first batch, the emphasis is on women and children who have been in detention on suspicion of involvement and/or connection with insurgency in some parts of the country.

"This will be followed by other phased releases where cases will be treated on their  individual merits by the Defence authorities and security agencies.

"The presidential directive was as a result of the interim report by the Presidential Committee on dialogue and peace in Northern Nigeria which recommended the measure as part of government’s multi-faceted strategy to solving the security challenges posed by the activities of the sect.

"This directive by Mr President further proves that the Federal Government has not foreclosed dialogue as a viable option in its bid to put an end to insurgency and terrorist activities in the Northern part of the country.

It is expected that this phased release of detainees will encourage those who wish to embrace the peace option to come out and take advantage of the dialogue and peace option provided by the Committee put in place by government.”

Source: Compass