The Theatre Commander Joint Taskforce Operation Hadin Kai Major General Ibrahim Ali says women and children are not deliberate targets during the counter insurgency and counter Terrorism Operation in the North East.
Major General Ali stated this when he appeared before the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in the region.
According to him, Troops in the frontline observe the International Humanitarian Law during Operations and also Provide First Aid and other essential Services to rescue Women and Children.
Testifying before the Panel Chaired by Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd), the Theatre Commander recalled that when he was the Commander Operation Restore Order 3 at Damaturu Yobe State in 2013, the Military arrested Wife of Former Boko Haram Leader Abubakar Shekau including other suspects, were kept at the Government Lodge and taken good care of.
He maintained that no Personnel will carry out such Gross Human Rights Violation of mass abortion without been detected.
“It is hard to believe base on the training given to us at different military institutions from the NDA to Defence College that an officer will give instruction to carry out such grievous Human Rights Violation without any information leaked by the Personnel themselves ” Major General Ali disclosed.
In a remark the Panel Secretary Mr Hillary Ogbonna further asked whether the Theatre Commander is aware of allegations by Reuters News Agency that 500 People were killed in Kukawa Local Government area in Borno State, the Commander said he has never heard about the incident.
Cov/Dauda Iliya
