CDS instructs human rights commission to conduct independent investigation

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Chief of Defense Staff General Lucky Irabor on Friday instructed the National Human Rights Commission to carry out an independent investigation into the alleged illegal abortion program by the military in the northeastern part of the country, as alleged by the International News Agency, the Reuters

General Irabor made the call when he led a high-level delegation of Principal Staff Officers from Defense Headquarters on a visit to the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Mr Tony Ojukwu about the allegation against the Nigerian army.

The agency had alleged in a report that the Nigerian military was running a secret abortion program in the northeast of the country, terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies since 2013.

While briefing the Executive Secretary of the Commission on the reason for his visit for the first time since his years in the Nigerian Army, General Irabor insisted that the allegation by REUTERS was groundless and false, adding that the army had nothing to hide hence the need for an independent investigation to exculpate itself.

He said it was necessary for the commission to carry out such an investigation in line with its responsibilities, considering that the Nigerian military is a creation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic.

According to him, the armed forces as an establishment of the Federal Republic are bound by the Nigerian constitution to operate on the basis of local and international laws.

This, he added, includes international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict as domesticated in Nigeria.

According to him, and acknowledging the place of the National Human Rights Commission and ensuring that all activities of the government and all its citizens and of course the people including the friends of Nigeria who are in our space, conduct their affairs in accordance with the laws of the earth.

In recent times, reports have alluded to the involvement of the armed forces in the government’s abortion program in northeastern Nigeria from 2013.

And this report was published by Reuters and of course when we looked at it we thought it was definitely not us and indeed it did not represent the professional status of the armed forces of Nigeria.

Where we have traces of operations in accordance with the precepts of the constitution. ground.

And so certain steps have to be taken, but of course being bound by the law, guided by the laws, we took a look and felt that the right establishment that should undertake an investigation is the National Human Rights Commission of man.

It is therefore in this perspective that I have come to officially inform you, if perhaps you are not thinking of it, that we, as an armed force, are ready for any investigation, and I think that in this case, the NHRC is a good basis for carrying out an investigation, he says.

The CDS assured the commission that the army would grant it unimpeded access to all its establishments across the country.

He also assured that armed forces personnel would be available to answer questions during the investigation.

According to him, ‘We are doing this because we believe that we have remained very transparent in our personal commitments and therefore have nothing to fear. We have also indicated before that the report is bad.

We felt that since we are at the heart of the allegation, it is necessary that we give you assurances that we are ready for you to conduct this investigation, the CDS stressed.

In his response, NHRC Executive Secretary Ojukwu explained that the commission was established by law to deal with all matters relating to the protection, promotion and enforcement of human rights. man in Nigeria.

He said the CDS’s request was in line with the commission’s determination to investigate the allegations because of its human rights implications.

According to him, “As you may know, the Commission’s investigative process must meet the international human rights standard required for this type of investigation.

He promised that the investigation would be public and open, transparent and in accordance with the principle of fair hearing.

He added that this would ensure accountability, non-discrimination and take into account the diversity of interests.

“As we look forward to announcing further steps in the near future towards the constitution of the REUTERS Report Investigation Group, please accept the warm greetings of the National Human Rights Commission,” he said.

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