The Defence Headquarters has invited officials of international human rights campaigners, the Amnesty International, to assist in the ongoing effort by a team of military investigators and forensic experts to verify a video in which allegations of extra judicial killings were made against the military.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the military team investigating the controversial video have also contacted a number of persons to tell the military what they knew about the video.
Olukolade made the comment while speaking on the ongoing investigation into the video released by the AI where troops alleged to be men of the Nigerian military and the Civilian JTF were portrayed to have been involved in extra judicial executions of suspected insurgents at a Forum of Spokespersons in Security and Response Agencies, convened by the I-Nigerian Initiative, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He added that the team of military investigators were working hard to present the report on their findings about the damning video.
He said, “The investigation is ongoing, and the team that we mentioned is already going round, calling people who can assist them. [eap_ad_2] “They have even invited officials of AI to help them verify what they presented; I was with them two days ago, and I know that they are working frantically to present their report.
“And we just hope that those who made those allegations would equally have the level of respect for that body to tell them what they know.”
Olukolade also said the Nigeria military was still working very hard about the situation in Gwoza and would not allow any part of the country to be taken over by insurgents.
The Defence spokesman said the military was prepared to defeat the insurgents stressing that the increased attacks in the area was as a result of the military’s attack on positions considered by Boko Haram to be settlement points.
Olukolade, who also spoke on the protest of wives of soldiers in Maiduguri over the deployment of their husbands to the frontline, said the women’s action was triggered by lack of understanding.
Olukolade, who described the women’s protest as distractive and unexpected, said the issue had been effectively addressed as the women had been made to realise that they were not in a position to dictate deployments in the military.
He appealed to the media and the citizenry for more understanding in the ongoing counter terrorism campaign and advised that the allegations of indiscipline, corruption, incompetence and rights violation against the military be dispelled as they were incorrect.
He also said the Nigeria Air Force was working effectively with the Army and other security operatives in all the operations in the North East.[eap_ad_3]
