Panel seeks overhaul of Human Rights Commission

The Presidential Investigation Panel to Review Compliance of the
Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement
on Friday recommended that the Federal Government should examine
the present state of the National Human Rights Commission.

The review is to enhance the Commission’s ability to promote and
protect the rights of all Nigerians.

The panel also recommended that practical steps be taken to make
the Nigerian police more professional in fulfilling their
constitutional role of providing security to all Nigerians,
irrespective of financial status, ethnicity, gender or religious
inclination.

These were contained in the report of the findings and
recommendations of the panel received by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari at the State
House, Abuja.

The Eight-man Investigation Panel, headed by Justice Biobele
Georgewill of Court of Appeal, was set up in August 2017 to
investigate allegations of human rights violations and
non-compliance with rules of engagement in local conflicts and
insurgency leveled against the Nigerian armed forces.

Osinbajo said “I think that it is absolutely important, because
of the sanctity of the rights of our people and the sanctity of
their lives and livelihoods, that we ensure that we are finding out
when the occasion arises whether their rights are being respected
or violated, especially in situation where you have light conflicts
or even serious conflicts and situation where you have security
concerns in different parts of the country,”

He said President Buhari, being a soldier himself, was keen to
“know the content of the report” and was “interested in knowing
what the panel’s findings were.”

Osinbajo said that he was pleased that a full report of the
panel’s findings and recommendations has been submitted.

He noted that in most of the places visited by the panel, people
said they were comfortable with military presence, pointing out
that “it shows the confidence people have in the Nigerian
military.”

He said the findings would be referred to the relevant agencies
for action.

“Whatever the findings are not only will they be referred to the
necessary or to the relevant agencies but also to the military,
especially where there is a need for disciplinary action or for any
type of action, they will certainly be referred to the military for
action, and if there is need for civilian authorities or the courts
to take action, that will also be done and where there is a need to
commend we will also do so,” the Vice President said.

He commended the members of the panel for their diligence and
for the timely and thorough job they did.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice
Biobele Georgewill, said “building a culture of respect for human
rights and accountability depend largely not only on existing law,
but also on a strong and well-funded, equipped and empowered
National Human Rights Commission,”

He said the commission should play an important role in taking
forward most of the recommendations.

Georgewill also said many of the allegations of human rights
violations against the Nigerian armed forces were largely the
direct result of increased visibility of the Nigerian armed forces
in almost all the 36 states of the federation.

“Indeed, the Nigerian Army is increasing taking on the role of
policing many communities across Nigeria,” the jurist stated,
calling for steps to be taken to make the police more
professional.

He said the members of the panel visited the six geo-political
zones of Nigeria; listened to petitions of the people; heard the
response of the three arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces within its
mandate; and evaluated and analyzed all they saw and heard before
putting their report together.

Also present at the event were other members of the panel, the
Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Olanisakin, and other top
government officials.

The Presidential Investigation Panel to Review Compliance of the
Armed Forces with Human Rights Obligations and Rules of Engagement
on Friday recommended that the Federal Government should examine
the present state of the National Human Rights Commission.

The review is to enhance the Commission’s ability to promote and
protect the rights of all Nigerians.

The panel also recommended that practical steps be taken to make
the Nigerian police more professional in fulfilling their
constitutional role of providing security to all Nigerians,
irrespective of financial status, ethnicity, gender or religious
inclination.

These were contained in the report of the findings and
recommendations of the panel received by Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari at the State
House, Abuja.

The Eight-man Investigation Panel, headed by Justice Biobele
Georgewill of Court of Appeal, was set up in August 2017 to
investigate allegations of human rights violations and
non-compliance with rules of engagement in local conflicts and
insurgency leveled against the Nigerian armed forces.

Osinbajo said “I think that it is absolutely important, because
of the sanctity of the rights of our people and the sanctity of
their lives and livelihoods, that we ensure that we are finding out
when the occasion arises whether their rights are being respected
or violated, especially in situation where you have light conflicts
or even serious conflicts and situation where you have security
concerns in different parts of the country,”

He said President Buhari, being a soldier himself, was keen to
“know the content of the report” and was “interested in knowing
what the panel’s findings were.”

Osinbajo said that he was pleased that a full report of the
panel’s findings and recommendations has been submitted.

He noted that in most of the places visited by the panel, people
said they were comfortable with military presence, pointing out
that “it shows the confidence people have in the Nigerian
military.”

He said the findings would be referred to the relevant agencies
for action.

“Whatever the findings are not only will they be referred to the
necessary or to the relevant agencies but also to the military,
especially where there is a need for disciplinary action or for any
type of action, they will certainly be referred to the military for
action, and if there is need for civilian authorities or the courts
to take action, that will also be done and where there is a need to
commend we will also do so,” the Vice President said.

He commended the members of the panel for their diligence and
for the timely and thorough job they did.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice
Biobele Georgewill, said “building a culture of respect for human
rights and accountability depend largely not only on existing law,
but also on a strong and well-funded, equipped and empowered
National Human Rights Commission,”

He said the commission should play an important role in taking
forward most of the recommendations.

Georgewill also said many of the allegations of human rights
violations against the Nigerian armed forces were largely the
direct result of increased visibility of the Nigerian armed forces
in almost all the 36 states of the federation.

“Indeed, the Nigerian Army is increasing taking on the role of
policing many communities across Nigeria,” the jurist stated,
calling for steps to be taken to make the police more
professional.

He said the members of the panel visited the six geo-political
zones of Nigeria; listened to petitions of the people; heard the
response of the three arms of the Nigerian Armed Forces within its
mandate; and evaluated and analyzed all they saw and heard before
putting their report together.

Also present at the event were other members of the panel, the
Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabriel Olanisakin, and other top
government officials.