Nigeria security forces in random killing following bomb blast

The Nigerian authorities must immediately put a stop to unlawful killings by security forces, Amnesty International said today after at least 23 people were killed by police following a bomb blast on Saturday in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri.

The bomb, allegedly set off by the Islamist group Boko Haram, went off in the Budum market in central Maiduguri and injured three soldiers. According to reports received by Amnesty International, the Nigerian Joint Military Task Force (JTF) responded by shooting and killing a number of people, apparently at random, before burning down the market.

“President Goodluck Jonathan must get a grip on the Nigerian armed forces and immediately prevent them from carrying out further human rights violations and unlawful killings,” said Tawanda Hondora, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Africa.

“The government must now investigate these heinous crimes and put on trial those found to be responsible for the killings. Allowing troops to go on the rampage will not bring to justice those who carry out these terrible bomb attacks on civilians,” he said.

“While staying within the law, the government must step up efforts to bring to justice members of Boko Haram who wreck untold suffering on people in the middle belt.”

One wing of Boko Haram has reportedly disowned the bomb blast, saying it may have been carried out by a splinter group.

The JTF was set up by the federal government in June 2011 to restore order in Borno state. In recent months, Amnesty International has received numerous reports that security forces in Borno state have resorted to unlawful killings, dragnet arrests, arbitrary and unlawful detentions, extortion, and intimidation.

One human rights defender told Amnesty International “Soldiers went on the rampage. They shot several people and burned all their shops and properties and burned their cars.”

rafhell:

mr. man, you should direct your blame to your boko haram brothers.

Freewilly:

where was your outrage when your freaking stinking awusa brothers were killing innocent women and children in the thousands in Biafra.

I hope the soldiers kill more of your people.

alj harem:

Mr man as well, i think it is unfair that the Mr president did not find reason to send soldiers to ND but to borno. He needs to inform his men that not all borno residents are BH and as such and not go around kill everyone.  

rafhell:

from the way i see it, it is either those people are boko haram or they harbor boko haram. if u guys are truely against boko haram then u should expose them.

naijaking1:

[size=30pt]Collateral damage.[/size]

This is the very phrase . . .

alj harem:

How do you know who is boko haram or not? it does not show on the face.

the people are going about their daily duties before they were killed just like they did in Jos against the hausa/fulani/kanuri population there

naijaking1:

Collateral damage.

rafhell:

and how did u know they are not boko harams. what u and your northern leaders, who are sincere to themselves, should be doing is to go all out and expose the boko haram in your midst. am sure your people know them. i am yet to see anybody from the north including u come out to condemn boko haram.

lmao, instead of condeming boko haram, u are here trying to protect them

kassanova:

What is our luvly country Nigeria turning into, lawlessness now seems to be the order of the day. My brodas and sisters instead of pointing accusing fingers here, LET US BEGIN TO PRAY 4 NIGERIA because these Unwarranted killing's may be anybody's turn. God help us.

cogitoErgo:

I tnk all hausa/fulanis are BokoHaram! My reason?
BH wants SHARIA LAW imposed on all Nigerians, by force.
Hausa/fulanis, their emirs, religious leaders, technocrats, elders, youths, etc, are fighting tooth and nail to ensure that SHARIA LAW is imposed on all Nigerians.
So you can see, BH is just a means of spreading a northern agenda, just as Sanusi is!