Ex-judicial killings of IPOB, MASSOB members: Army blows hot , orders probe

MOVED by series of allegations of extra-judicial killings of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, during some of their peaceful protest sessions by some of its personnel, the Nigerian Army, yesterday, set up an eight-man panel to investigate the allegations.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, while inaugurating the panel at the Army Headquarters, Abuja, said the allegations were not good for civil-military relations and were capable of demoralising the Nigerian personnel in the performance of their constitutional responsibilities.

The allegations, according to Buratai, include the Amnesty International reports and allegations by Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, of rights violations of arrested members. It also include allegations of Boko Haram terrorists against some Army personnel and commanders based on which some of them are already suffering discriminations in some quarters.

The reports range from extra-judicial executions, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture and disappearance of IPOB members and suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

“These allegations are not good for civil-military relations and are capable of demoralising the Nigerian Army personnel in the performance of their constitutional roles, “he said.

Buratai said it was expedient to thoroughly and impartially investigate the allegations to find out the facts of the matter and to enable relevant authorities take appropriate actions.

But Buratai asked the panel not to revisit allegations already investigated by state governments or the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, through similar panels.

The Army’s special board of inquiry, which has Major General Ahmed Tijani Jibrin (retd) as president, according to the Army boss, was set up to investigate the matter and establish the true situation of the whole allegations.

Other members of the panel include Brigadier-General Dadan Garba (retd); Brigadier-General Abdulqadir Guide (retd); Brigadier-General O. Olayinka; Col. L. B. Mohammed; Col. U.M. Wambai; Mr Olawole Fapohunda and Lt.-Col. C. M. Akaliro, who is the panel’s secretary. (VANGUARD)