- Buratai seeks support of international organisations against insurgency
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) wednesday declared that Amnesty International (AI) is sponsored by western governments to destabilise Africa.
AI has been very critical of some government policies and military operations in the North-east and other internal security operations across the country often accusing them of violating human rights of the citizens.
This is coming as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, has called on international organisations to support the military in the war against insurgency.
The council made the declaration during a visit to the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.
The leader of the delegation and Nigeria’s Representative at the 3rd Permanent Assembly of AU, Mr. Tunji John Ashaolu, said AI was funded by Western countries to destabilise the continent.
“We know what Nigerian Army has done since from the time of ECOMOG and the role of the army cannot be overlooked in silencing the guns in Africa.
“We are here to see how we can work together to ensure the silencing of the guns completely in Africa. We want to urge you to continue to build on what you have achieved so far to support in reaching this objective”, he said.
The AU official said “AU-ECOSOC rate Nigerian Army high. We want to conduct an assessment on what you do. You have won the war against terrorism. There was nothing like Boko Haram before; it came; you are facing it, tackling it and winning it.
“You have worked effectively in civil military relations and you have supported democracy to succeed in Nigeria. You have ensured professionalism in the army because you have ensured that personnel are trained and retrained”.
He praised the army for setting up human rights desks in its formations.
“You have also established human rights desks in all army formations to ensure that human rights are protected. If you have done this, I wonder why some groups are now saying that you are violating human rights.
“Someone that is violating human rights would not have the audacity to establish human rights desk in all the units and formations. I think with what I have said, it is those who have been put in place to undermine not only your office but Nigerian government”, he said.
“The AI that said that you are violating human right is being supported or sponsored by the western people and these are the things that we are working against as civil societies.
“And we are now saying enough is enough for international organisations to be using as part of their foreign direct agencies to destabilise the governments of Africa, which we will not take any longer”.
The organisation proceeded to pass a vote of confidence on the Nigerian Army.
“I will now say on behalf of African civil society, in my capacity as an elected Nigerian Representative of AU-ECOSOC, pass vote of confidence on Nigerian army”, he said.
In his remarks, Buratai while commending the AU for its appreciation of the military’s efforts to contain insurgency, also called on international organisations to support the military’s fight against insurgency.
“Your visit today is a landmark visit because it comes at a time when there are a lot of misgivings about our operations in counter terrorism.
“What army personnel need is support and not condemnation and we want to call on all international organisations operating in the country to have a rethink and support Nigeria in winning the war against insurgency”, he said.
He said the “visit is a morale booster to the Nigerian Army especially our troops in the North-east who are sacrificing their lives to defend this country. We want to appreciate you and your organisation”.
