The Chief of Defense staff, General Lucky Irabor says the Nigeria military has prioritized the training of its officers and non-commissioned officers across board on human rights and humanitarian laws to forestall incidences of violation of the rights of civilians during counter insurgency operation.
General Irabor stated this at a National Colloquium on Human Rights in Counter Insurgency Operations in Nigeria organized by the National Human Rights Commission in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development.
Chief of Defense Staff represented by Rear Admiral A.O Ayobanjo said the protection of civilians in its fight against insurgency was crucial to the military.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human right Commission, Tony Ojukwu expressed worry that insurgency had become one of the gravest violations of human rights in the history of Nigeria.
Mr Ojukwu said the commission was concerned about civilian population in military operations, operations of civilian joint task force and other non state actors who deploy unconventional method to fight insurgency.
He observed that the protection of human rights and the observance of all international laws was the responsibility of everyone in the theatre of conflicts in the country.
Some of the issues discussed at the colloquium were the Principles on Human Rights in Counter Insurgency operations and the protection of the rights of women and vulnerable groups in counter-insurgency operations in the country.
RN
