The Chief of Staff, Nigerian Army Amourd Corps, Headquarters, Bauchi, Brig. General Abubakar Garuba Haruna, has described Reuters, an international media platform, as one of the organisations working with enemies of Nigeria to tarnish the image of country.
He stated this on Friday while testifying before the Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operation in the North East.
The panel was set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), following allegations contained in reports by Reuters in December 2022 and April 2023 which among other things said the Nigerian military, in its anti-insurgency operations in the North East had a secret and systematic policy in which women were illegally forced to commit more than 10,000 abortions in nine years.
He described the reports as ridiculous, false and fabricated to tarnish the image of officers and men of the Nigerian military, whom he said made huge sacrifices to save the country from breakup.
A visibly a gray Gen. Haruna who was garrison commander that led operations fforvthe recovery of Bama and Konduga and other towns from Biko Haram, said the fighting soldiers, in spite of heavy casualties, created safe havens where even captured insurgents were taken care of, wondering what would be the reason to force women to abort unborn babies as well as kill children.
He wondered why Reuters and its reporters were, as Biko Haram, killed and slaughtered officers and men of the military, saying such barbarism was never reported by Reuters.
It would be recalled that Reuters news agency had reported that Nigerian Military forced women to commit 10,000 abortions and willfully killed hundreds of civilians, women and children as well as raped many women while carrying out counter insurgency operations in North East Nigeria.
Following national and international outcry attracted by the report, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), as part of its mandate, in January 2023, set up a seven-man panel chaired by retired Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki, JSC, to investigate the allegations. The committee was inaugurated by the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
Among top military officers that have appeared before the panel was the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya who vehemently denied all the allegations contained in the Reuters report.
On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, General Hassan Umar (rtd), a former Theatre Commander of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, said the Army by training is designed to rescue people in war situation rather than involve itself in allegations of gross Human Rights violation.
He told the panel that the report as published by Reuters contained unfounded allegations, adding that a professional institution like the Nigerian army would not be involved in acts that violate rights of citizens.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Irabor is being expected to appear before the panel this afternoon at the NHRC Headquarters, Abuja
Update later….