The Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari has expressed worry over the damning report by the Amnesty International about Nigeria.
The Federal Government in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, said the President is worried about the role Amnesty is playing in the war against terror in Nigeria.
Buhari queried the presence of Amnesty International in Nigeria and how its operation continues to damage the morale of the Nigerian military.
He said “While President Muhammadu Buhari cherishes and encourages the noble ideals on which institutions like Amnesty International are founded, the organisation’s operations in Nigeria seem geared towards damaging the morale of the Nigerian military.
“It often appears as if the Nigerian government is fighting two wars on terror: against Boko Haram and against Amnesty International.
“The obvious bias and inaccuracies in Amnesty International’s recent country report on Nigeria risk Amnesty’s reputation as an impartial international organisation.”
President Buhari appealed to the leadership of Amnesty International to scrutinise its advocacy in Nigeria, especially as it relates to the war against terrorism.
The International NGO had accused the Nigeria government of recklessness and inefficiency, accusing the authority of doing little to prevent arrest and prosecution of innocent Nigerians in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.
“These attacks were well planned and co-ordinated, with the use of weapons like machine guns and AK-47 rifles,” said Osai Ojigho, Amnesty’s Nigeria director.
“Yet, little has been done by the authorities in terms of prevention, arrests and prosecutions, even when information about the suspected perpetrators was available,” she added.
“The Nigerian government has displayed what can only be described as gross incompetence and has failed in its duty to protect the lives of its population.”
