A Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to compel President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN) to carry out thorough investigation of Amnesty International’s allegations of war crimes against Nigerian military.

The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Access to Justice and eight other human rights bodies pursuant to Order 34, Rule 3(1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

Other applicants are One Voice Coalition for Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Human Rights Law Services, Social Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Network on Police Reform in Nigeria Foundation, Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association, Centre for Constitutional Governance and Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation.

The human rights bodies claimed that Jonathan and Adoke (1st and 2nd respondents) have the legal duty to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations in order to protect the rights to life, fair hearing and dignity of persons as provided for in Section 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution and Artiles 4, 7 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification & Enforcement) Act, Cap A9 2004.

Recall that the Amnesty International had in its report an accompanied with video footage released on August 5 this year, alleged of extra-judicial killings of members of the Boko Harram sect by the Nigerian military and the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

The groups stated that the alleged extra-judicial killings and torture of the suspected Boko Haram members constitute a breach of their fundamental rights to life, fair hearing and dignity as guaranteed by Section 33, 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution and Artiles 4, 7 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification & Enforcement) Act, Cap A9 2004.

According to the suit, failure or refusal by the President and AGF to carry out a thorough, prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the Amnesty International’s allegation against the military would amount to the country’s violation of Charter 1, Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification & Enforcement) Act which impress a duty on the government to take all steps necessary for the protection of the rights that are contain therein.

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