A Nigerian human rights group on Thursday referred to as on the army to launch a “thorough and swift” investigation into what it referred to as recurring civilian casualties from army airstrikes.
The Nationwide Human Rights Fee, the state physique tasked with investigating alleged rights violations, stated repeated stories of deaths and accidents raised critical considerations about compliance with humanitarian and human rights legislation.
At the least 100 civilians have been killed in an airstrike by the Nigerian army on a crowded market within the northwestern state of Zamfara over the weekend, Amnesty Worldwide stated on Tuesday, citing witnesses. That is the third reported incident since April.
The army stated there was no proof of civilian casualties.
Nigeria is more and more counting on air energy in conflict-affected areas, together with the northeast, the place it’s battling a long-running insurgency, and the northwest, the place armed kidnap teams domestically often known as bandits and Islamic extremists function.
The NHRC stated that whereas combating insurgency, banditry and different insecurity is a professional duty of states, operations should not violate the structure or worldwide humanitarian rules.
“Nigerians have a proper to know why this has repeatedly grow to be a decimal. How lengthy will this proceed?” stated Tony Ojukwu, NHRC Govt Director.
In a separate assertion dated Might 13, UN Human Rights Consultant Volker Turk stated he was shocked by stories of civilian deaths in Zamfara and referred to as on Nigerian authorities to conduct a “thorough, impartial and neutral” investigation.
In April, round 5 individuals have been killed in an airstrike on a weekly market in Jiri, northeastern Nigeria. The army has launched an investigation into the incident.
Underneath Nigerian legislation, the fee can examine allegations of abuse and refer issues to the nation’s legal professional normal for prosecution.
