Nigerian Army
Evolve Mechanism
Nigerian Army
Evolve Mechanism to Checkmate Human Rights Violations,
Army urged
It is important that the Nigerian Army initiate and empower
institutional mechanism to effectively checkmate human rights abuse
by its personnel, particularly during internal security operations
in different parts of the country in and out of conflict situations
as well as during exercises and operations, says Professor Toba
Afolabi.
Prof. Afolabi, made this known at the just-concluded three days
Directorate of Army Public Relations Study Period held at the
Auditorium of 1 Division Headquarters Kaduna.
In his paper titled “Developing a Viable Framework Against Human
Rights Violations During Internal Security Operations in Nigeria,
the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) lecturer, emphasised the
necessity of the military to respect human rights and account for
their actions in their day to day operations while on internal
Security Operations.
He stressed the importance of training of security personnel in
the areas of protection of human rights and protection of civilians
in conflict.
According to him, “To effectively address human rights
violations it is necessary to address the drivers or causes of
conflict which made the military to come out in aid to civil
authority. The need to reduce the level of involvement of the
military in Internal security operations will help in addressing
abuse of human rights by members of the Nigerian Army”.
He commended the Nigerian Army for institutionalising mechanism
to checkmate rights abuses by personnel of the service in the areas
of rules of engagement, code of conduct, human rights desk and
department of civil military affairs at the Divisional and Army
Headquarters Abuja .
Similarly, Professor Samaila Mande, the Dean, Post Graduate
School of the National Open University of Nigeria, in his paper
entitled “Information Operations: Galvanizing Citizens Support
Towards Successful Military Operations” opined that the military
should takes information/media operations and counter narratives
and deradicalisation modules serious to be able to effectively and
strategically deal with terrorists propaganda machinery as well as
communicate messages that could achieve the desired impact or douse
tension during conflict or in emergency situations.
Professor Mande cited the example of the Nigerian Army Cyber
Warfare Command and Nigerian Army Situation room as some of the
commendable achievements of the Army especially during and after
the 2019 General Elections, where crisis that could have threatened
or disturbed the nation was proactively thwarted or effectively
dealt with.
He commended the Nigerian Army leadership for its forsight by
the establishment of these two important commands for the peace and
security of the nation.