Patrick Ugeh in Abuja

Amnesty International has called for the investigation of the Nigerian military, including the former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, and senior military commanders, for allegedly participating in, sanctioning or failing to prevent the deaths of more than 8,000 people murdered, starved, suffocated, and tortured to death.

Based on years of research and analysis of evidence - including leaked military reports and correspondence, as well as interviews with more than 400 victims, eyewitnesses and senior members of the Nigerian security forces - the organization said it outlined a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the Nigerian military in the course of the fight against Boko Haram in the north-east of the country.

These were contained in a comprehensive report, Stars on their shoulders. Blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military, published late Wednesday morning.

The document revealed that since March 2011, more than 7,000 young men and boys died in military detention and more than 1,200 people were unlawfully killed since February 2012.

Amnesty International provided “compelling evidence” of the need for an investigation into the individual and command responsibilities of soldiers, and mid-level and senior-level military commanders. The report outlined the roles and possible criminal responsibilities of those along the chain of command - up to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff - and named nine senior Nigerian military figures who should be investigated for command and individual responsibility for the crimes committed.

They are:

* General Azubuike Ihejirika ­- Chief of Army Staff, Sept 2010 - Jan 2014).
* Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim ­- Chief of Defence Staff, Oct 2012 - Jan 2014).
* Air Chief Marshal Badeh ­- Chief of Defence Staff, Jan 2014 - time of writing
* General Ken Minimah ­- Chief of Army Staff, Jan 2014 - time of writing
* Major General John A.H. Ewansiha
* Major General Obida T Ethnan
* Major General Ahmadu Mohammed
* Brigadier General Austin O. Edokpayi
* Brigadier General Rufus O. Bamigboye

Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said the “sickening evidence” it has “exposes how thousands of young men and boys have been arbitrarily arrested and deliberately killed or left to die in detention in the most horrific conditions. It provides strong grounds for investigations into the possible criminal responsibility of members of the military, including those at the highest levels.”

Shetty continued: “Whilst an urgent and impartial investigation of these war crimes is vital, this report is not just about the criminal responsibility of individuals. It is also about the responsibility of Nigeria’s leadership to act decisively to end the pervasive culture of impunity within the armed forces.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ai-wants-ihejirika-others-investigated-for-war-crimes/211044/

I can't find Shekau on that list.

Dreamers


First probe OBJ for destroying Odi and Zaki Ibiam


Ihejirika the general who tamed BH.

Lets wait for the buko hari govt response.

Please what is Amnesty Int.??.. I'm from Japan..

.Amnesty international is an organization that has always sided the terrorist ( BH) against our military, since the beginning of this whole boko haram madness.Amnesty International should simply allow Nigeria be,because when BH kills innocent citizens you don't hear them come out to condemn the action of the terrorists,but when the military move in to defend our territory and innocent citizens, they start shouting human right abuse.They should stop impeding on the success of our military or else,we as a nation will start suspecting them as one of the possible sponsors of BH.

I can bet my life savings on my believe that Amnesty Intl or some of opinion leaders in that organisation has sympathy for Boko Haram. If you doubt me,just search them on google. Am not saying this as a fan of GEJ or PMB;as a matter of fact i have soft spot for the current govt but i dont trust that Amnesty Intl.

Lets wait and see

Madness coming from Amnesty Int'l!

Ihejirika it was who stood between Nigeria and the rampaging daredevil merchant of death - Boko Haram - when Nigeria could barely. Perhaps Amnesty International would have preferred Boko Haram to take over Nigeria like ISIS have done in Iraq and Syria!

Ihejirika's place in history visavis the fight against Boko haram is positively assured. He was a fine military chief and commander whose tenure did not see Boko Haram cease one inch of Nigerian territory. This is a fact of history detractors can never erase.

All this probing and investigation will lead nowhere.
PMB should just focus on the work at hand, get to work already and change this country for good!

"Our brother" people, come and defend your brother, amnesty international hate ibos

First major international headache for Buhari! Unfortunately, he has no choice than to capitulate and offer those guys up because that stuff is not going away anytime soon, especially, since the US made it an issue in dealing with the past government. Funny enough, I actually do not see Nigeria on the current list of countries with arms embargo at the US State Dept.

http://www.pmddtc.state.gov/embargoed_countries/


By the way, very recently, the US also restricted weapons sale to Vietnam.
http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/06/01/vietnam-dont-tie-us-weapons-sales-to-human-rights-issues

Amnesty International is joke.

Investigate Nigerian Army for war crimes and kept mute over Bokoharam that commits crime against humanity

Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, weed isn't good for you.

Deltagiant:
Ihejirika's place in history visavis the fight against Boko haram is positively assured. He was a fine military chief and commander whose tenure did not see Boko Haram cease one inch of Nigerian territory. This is a fact of history detractors can never erase.

I hail u o

IyaIode:
"Our brother" people, come and defend your brother, amnesty international hate ibos

So all the service chiefs mentioned are all Igbos abi?
Silly bigot.