HURIWA Cautions Military against Shoot-to-kill Order

HURIWA Cautions Military against Shoot-to-kill Order

Bakare Oyindamola

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the top hierarchy of the military to be wary of falling foul of International Criminal Court (ICC)’s binding injunctions against committing crimes against humanity by carrying out a totally unlawful order of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari to shoot suspected snatchers of ballot boxes in the forthcoming general election at sight.

HURIWA said Buhari cannot validly exercise the powers of the Commander-in-Chief in line with section 217(1) of the fundamental norm and subsequent provisions on the operational modalities of the Armed forces during this election in the absence of a valid supporting legislation by the National Assembly.

HURIWA also reminded the military heads that they will inevitably be arrested in Europe, America or any other jurisdictions and flown into the ICC for prosecution should any Nigerian citizen be killed extra-judicially based on the jaundiced and politically toxic and unconstitutional shoot-at-sight order.

HURIWA reminded the military hierarchy that their loyalty for now and during the periods of the elections is to the people of Nigeria and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not the political parties or the holder of the Office of President who is to be treated as equal contestant at the polls.

HURIWA said it is obliged to remind the Nigerian Army of the Rome statute setting up global crimes court in The Hague, Netherlands, to prosecute war crimes against humanity and extra-legal killings such as the one the current presidential candidate of the APC has asked verbally for the military to commit acts of crimes against humanity.

It recalled that Buhari stated, “I do not expect anybody to cause any disturbance. The security agencies have identified hot spots and flashpoints and should be prepared to move.

“I want Nigerians to be respected and let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid of that. I went round the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and I think I have enough support across the country to vote for me.” the president added.

HURIWA challenged the military to refuse to obey unlawful orders, reminding them that they could be arrested and prosecuted at the ICC.

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