Why Nigerian military chiefs don’t give a hoot about spilling terrorist blood
The international community seems to be the only section of the globe having sleepless nights over the gory human rights records of the Nigerian Army.
The country’s military chiefs are, albeit, not perturbed (or at least they’re pretending not to be)…in fact, they are giving the rest of us the impression that they’ve been sleeping well (and snoring probably) over the “no-issue.”
Amnesty International had raised concerns over allegations of gross human right violations, extra-judicial killings and war crimes reportedly perpetuated by the Nigerian Army in the course of trying to contain Boko Haram.
AI even called for the probe of top military brass under whose watch those crimes were reportedly committed prompting Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari to mull a probe.
Although Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, would top the list of potential targets of such probe; he seems to be least bothered.
As far as he is concerned, the only rights terrorists, like Boko Haram insurgents, have is the right to be killed.
He said he doesn’t give a hoot over handing that privilege to those who decide to take up arms against the state, an entity he has sworn to safeguard.
Need we mention that it was the apparent failure of the military to perform this duty that led to the abduction of over 200 school girls from the purported safety of their dormitory last year?
Badeh, it appears, seemed poised to spill terrorist blood, irrespective of whatever violation is incurred, than allow something like that re-occur.
He merely described the alleged violations as “one or two infractions” which would not stop him from snuffing life out of more terrorists.
“One thing the armed forces are doing is that we are not deterred by criticism,” a resolute Badeh emphasized to local civil groups in Abuja on Tuesday.
“In war, nothing is equal and people behave differently under pressure and war is the worst form of pressure any normal human being can ever face.
“So, if there are one or two infractions out there at the venue of war, it is normal. It happens in every army, the most developed armies had committed worst crimes.”
“Our duty and obligation is to make sure we return this country to normalcy; that is our pledge.”
For obvious reasons, many people may like the tough-talking Badeh (these insurgents have killed over 13,000 people on Nigerian soil for crying out loud!), but experts warn it would take more than bombs to blow the bloodshed into shreds.
In the meantime (spoiler alert!), it’s a bad time to be a terrorist in Nigeria.
