Boko Haram: NHRC trains frontline soldiers on Human right mainstreaming

Mr. Tony Ojukwu Esq, ES, NHRC

The National Human Right Commission has embarked on the training of soldiers on mainstreaming Human Right in their operations in the frontline.

The workshop training,  holding  at one of the military locations in Bama is aimed at training the soldiers and other security agencies involved in the Boko Haram fight on Civilian Protection into Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East.

Bama town is one of the worse hit areas by Boko Haram. Bama was also one of the towns that Boko Haram celebrated its take-over in 2013 before it was liberated by the military in 2014..

In his welcome address at the commencement of workshop, the Executive Secretary of National Human Right Commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq said the justification for the training cannot be over emphasized  with asymmetric nature of the war.

Mr. Ojukwu who was represented by the Assistant Director Public Affairs, Fatimah Agwai Mohammad, explained that, “the insurgents live within us and there is hardly a clear drawn battle line between the insurgents and the civilian population, therefore there is a need to prosecute insurgency operation in order to win the hearts and minds of the civilian population in Nigeria”. 

The training was   put together by the National Human Rights Commission with support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

 Mr. Ojukwu also regretted the untold hardship experienced by innocent civilians as a result of the insurgency, adding that,  “the training is  imperative considering that most of the officers who come in contact with the insurgents are in the frontlines”.

He noted that experience gathered from years of military training by the Commission in the North East shows that officers in the frontlines deserve to be trained and retrained on mainstreaming human rights in their operations.

 According to the Human Right chief, “this will enable them uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the citizens as guaranteed by the constitution. The areas covered in the training are mostly the epic center of insurgency in Borno State like Gwoza, Bama, Damasak, Mongonu and Ngala”.

Some of the soldiers at the workshop in Bama.

 
The Executive Secretary also  stated that an initial train the trainers workshop  of key military officer was carried out in Maiduguri  as part of the commission’s contribution in the fight against insurgency in the north east, stressing,  “it is expected that the training is stepped down to the Brigades, Platoons and other Military Formations and Units in other parts of the North East  like it is presently taking place here today”.

In  his address,  Brigade Commander of the 21 Armored Brigade Bama, Col. Vitus Unachukwu commended the quality of the training, adding that it will build their capacities “not  to fall short of their duties especially in relation to the respect for human rights. He enjoined them to make the best use of the opportunity to better their performance and live a good legacy for emulation in the military”.

One of the resource persons Maj. E.S Krigbode, O.C Military police said the training has exposed participants to a lot of acts that are unwarranted  by the military.

 He said even though some of them are contained in the rules of engagement, learning about them from another agency of government like the NHRC will not only refresh their memories but will make them guard against such acts.

The troops were also happy for the training as many of them commended the commission for putting together the training for them.

  

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