The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) will
file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing
Nigeria’s government of human rights violations, according to spokesman
Ango Abdullahi.
“What we are doing now is to organize our evidence that would make it possible for us to make a very strong case against the government and its agencies, or up to individuals who may be complicit, in terms of the human rights violations that have been taking place in the last few years,” said Abdullahi.
He said the group has put together a team of lawyers that has been gathering evidence indicating that national army soldiers were involved in the recent killing of civilians at Baga.
“There is sufficient evidence, from our point of view, in terms of human rights violations that have been going on with a lot of impunity in the last three years or so around the activities of the government and its agencies and around the country,” said Abdullahi. “I think it’s because nobody seems to really take the matter seriously to draw attention, not only to other parts of the world, to the Nigerian authorities themselves.”
But supporters of the government say the administration is mandated to protect unarmed civilians and resolve the country’s internal security crisis. They accused the NEF of failing to engage the government in its attempt to prevent violence, often carried out by members of the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
Abdullahi denies speculation that the Elders’ Forum is in any way linked to Boko Haram.
“We didn’t create the insurgents. It may have been created by somebody, but it is up to the government to prove a case that the insurgency has been created deliberately to cause havoc in the country,” said Abdullahi. “It happens that perhaps if there is any indication… that this matter has been politicized, it must have been politicized by the government or its agencies.”
Boko Haram, which is based in Nigeria’s north, has been accused of carrying out violent attacks in an attempt to force the country to adopt strict Islamic law.
Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram-related violence has killed an estimated 3,000 people since 2009, a toll that includes killings by security forces.
Abdullahi says the government has been unable to resolve the security threats members of Boko Haram pose to the country.
“If this sect had been treated like many other sects that we’ve had in this country for many years, perhaps we would not be where we are now,” continued said Abdullahi, “there [have been] thousands of people detained in terribly inhumane conditions all over the country. Among the thousands of people that have been in detention for many years now, only one as far as I know is in court now.”
Abdullahi says the Elders group has decided to hold the government accountable for the extrajudicial killings he says are sometimes carried out by military officials.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday“What we are doing now is to organize our evidence that would make it possible for us to make a very strong case against the government and its agencies, or up to individuals who may be complicit, in terms of the human rights violations that have been taking place in the last few years,” said Abdullahi.
He said the group has put together a team of lawyers that has been gathering evidence indicating that national army soldiers were involved in the recent killing of civilians at Baga.
“There is sufficient evidence, from our point of view, in terms of human rights violations that have been going on with a lot of impunity in the last three years or so around the activities of the government and its agencies and around the country,” said Abdullahi. “I think it’s because nobody seems to really take the matter seriously to draw attention, not only to other parts of the world, to the Nigerian authorities themselves.”
But supporters of the government say the administration is mandated to protect unarmed civilians and resolve the country’s internal security crisis. They accused the NEF of failing to engage the government in its attempt to prevent violence, often carried out by members of the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
Abdullahi denies speculation that the Elders’ Forum is in any way linked to Boko Haram.
“We didn’t create the insurgents. It may have been created by somebody, but it is up to the government to prove a case that the insurgency has been created deliberately to cause havoc in the country,” said Abdullahi. “It happens that perhaps if there is any indication… that this matter has been politicized, it must have been politicized by the government or its agencies.”
Boko Haram, which is based in Nigeria’s north, has been accused of carrying out violent attacks in an attempt to force the country to adopt strict Islamic law.
Human Rights Watch says Boko Haram-related violence has killed an estimated 3,000 people since 2009, a toll that includes killings by security forces.
Abdullahi says the government has been unable to resolve the security threats members of Boko Haram pose to the country.
“If this sect had been treated like many other sects that we’ve had in this country for many years, perhaps we would not be where we are now,” continued said Abdullahi, “there [have been] thousands of people detained in terribly inhumane conditions all over the country. Among the thousands of people that have been in detention for many years now, only one as far as I know is in court now.”
Abdullahi says the Elders group has decided to hold the government accountable for the extrajudicial killings he says are sometimes carried out by military officials.
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You might find yourselves also arrested for sponsoring terrorism. Oh, by the way first would you like to take the evidence of war crimes that you supported during the biafran war first? We have be orderly about this. My advice is that you finally agree to Aburi accord and it will help prevent you from being carved into Chad
ReplyDeleteelders for noting
ReplyDeletepls who is taking who to court?? Abeggi
ReplyDeleteAll thees aboki calling themsevles elders in the North are not seriouse. Why did'nt they carry BH to international court. They are all members/ sponsurs of BH. God will expose u all
ReplyDeletelet them go.They always want things done in their own way.Nigeria belong to all of us.
ReplyDeleteIt is now clear to everyone that these useless elders from the north are the sponsors of boko haram.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where, when and how Ango became a prof? So their puppet Boko Haram did not violate human rights by killing innocent people all this while. "ELDERS" indeed. No wonder like ELDER like YOUTH(BH)
ReplyDeleteBoko Haram elders speaking through Boko Haram Professor to engage the services of Boko Haram Lawyers in Boko Haram court to be presided over by Boko Haram judges
ReplyDeleteA bunch of miopic elders.can they not see the reality on ground.na wah for this noerthern elders o
ReplyDeleteElders for nothing indeed...
ReplyDeleteUseless old fools! Ur northern agenda wil neva wrk! We go see who plenty pass come 2015! U‘ve drained dis coutry dry! Made dis gov‘t ungovnabl ur plans wil fail! Selfish phycoparts!
ReplyDeleteAll u guys hav jst said my mind, kudos 2 u all
ReplyDeleteis really a shame that the so called northern elders have no conscience of any kind, wen BH were boming churchs it was fun to them, killing police n military men it was home video, now dealing wit BH is now killing civilians. u will all die by plane crash bombe by same boko haram. international court my foot. fools at 50 n above. I dey laugh una
ReplyDeleteIf this is the position of the Northern Elders Forum, then they are mad.
ReplyDeleteBetween the Federal Government and Boko Haram, who is commiting Human Right Violation?
Besides where were they when Boko Haram were killing innocent people, or how do you explain all the killing perpetuated by Boko Haram.
Mad component among the elders
Self serving Elders of the north, before u starting going to international court, remember 'he who comes to equity must come with clean hands'. Are ur hands clean? Are u sure there are no blood stains? D killing of the Igbos before, during and after d Biafran war have not been addressed yet. Boko haram has killed well over 3000 innocent Nigerians, what have u people as so called elders of d north done about it? I pray GEJ would have d will power to prosecute all of u 4 making Nigeria ungovernable as promised using BH.Use ur tongue and count ur teeth!
ReplyDeleteStop these pretence- Partners in Crime
ReplyDeleteshameless bunch of boko haram promoter. nemesis is closing in on all of you!
ReplyDeleteBetter,pls let go to dt int'l court n xpose der selves. Unrepentant muderars,God will punish as u go to dt court. U'll just succeed in sending urselves to live imprisonment. Elders dt can't kull der subjusts to order,who will listen to u! Shame on u so kulled elders. Why kept quit for good 2yrs wen BH was buzi kulling people wit impunity. Its now ur talking. God will visit u mens one by one wit his sword!
ReplyDelete