Amnesty International Faults Nigeria’s Foreign Minister’s Apology Claim

Human rights organization, Amnesty International, has expressed disappointment over the comments allegedly made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, alleging that Amnesty International has apologised for factual errors in its 2012 report about human rights violations committed by the Nigerian security forces.

Amnesty International’s Deputy Africa Director, Lucy Freeman made this disclosure in a statement released to journalists.

The statement said “Amnesty International is deeply disappointed by the Minister’s comments – the government should be demonstrating its commitment to human rights by investigating credible and serious allegations of human rights violations by its security forces.

“Amnesty International stands by the findings of its report ‘Trapped in the Cycle of Violence’ launched in November 2012.

“Amnesty International has never – publicly nor privately – apologised for any of the contents of the report and stands by its research, conclusions and findings 100 per cent. She added

Freeman noted that “In a meeting with the Attorney General in Abuja on 1 August 2013, Amnesty International reiterated its concerns about grave human rights violations committed by the Nigerian security forces and received assurances from government that it was conducting investigations into them.”

SOuurces say Ambassador Ashiru onTuesday said the group had apologised to Nigeria during the “Human Rights, Human Security and Conflict’’, organised by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR).

“Nigerian armed forces have served well over many countries with impeccable record; human rights is part of their training.

“When amnesty was here, they said they were sorry; if you are sorry, you say it outside, let people know. I have given them the invitation to come and open an office so that when they write, it will be factual.

“We are not afraid of our operations because the military keeps to the rule of engagement, that is why there are so many arrests made.’’

Amnesty International in its 2012 report had accused Nigerian security personnel of “unlawful killings, dragnet arrests, arbitrary and unlawful detentions, extortion and intimidation” in some northern parts of the country.