Buratai advises troops to ignore threat of ICC investigation

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has urged troops not to be distracted by the move by International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes against soldiers in the battling the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east.

Buratai made the call in a statement by the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sagir Musa, on Saturday in Abuja.

He said that the call followed Friday’s statement from the ICC prosecutor, alleging that there were reasonable basis to believe that members of the Nigerian security forces had committed acts constituting crimes against humanity and war crimes.

According to him, the ICC statement is immediately followed by a release by the local branch of Amnesty International (AI) in Nigeria, demanding full investigation of atrocities by the military.

Buratai said there was no doubt that such statements and instigation could distract the troops with its demoralising effects.

He said it could have negative consequences on troops’ morale, interest in military service by Nigerians and severe setback to Nigeria’s internal security operations.

The army chief also enjoined troops to ignore what he described as the wicked and unnecessary distractions, directing them to fully concentrate on the final defeat of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists groups which is in sight.

He also charged the troops to work hard and be guided by the 1999 constitution, the rules of engagement, the code of conduct and the standing operating procedures for all army operations.

According to him, the army is not only protecting human rights, but also sustaining human rights nationally and globally.

“Our professional conduct over the years and most recently during the #EndSARS protest at Lekki near Lagos are clear testimonies to the Nigerian army’s posture on promoting sustainable human rights policy.

“The Nigerian army wishes to advise local or international organisations not to allow themselves be used to destabilise or destroy the troops’ morale by the sponsors of mischief in Nigeria,” he said.

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Army spokesperson, Musa, disclosed that Buratai was currently on selfisolation as part of precaution against the COVID-19 infection.

Musa said that the chief of army staff would soon join the troops in the north east at the end of the mandatory isolation period to continue giving them the desired leadership and support.