Boko Haram: Monarch cautions Amnesty International, others

The Olowu of Owu Kuta in Ayedire Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Hammed Makama Oyelude, has warned Amnesty International and other non governmental organisations (NGOs) against sabotaging the efforts of the Nigerian military in the ongoing war against Boko Haram in the Northeastern part of the country. The monarch accused Amnesty International of disseminating wrong information about the military operations in the area to discredit the performances of the Nigerian troops.

“Amnesty International and other NGOs should desist from sabotaging our efforts to destabilize the insurgency. Anything that will denigrate the integrity and image of our military should not be tolerated. I am of the  opinion that the submission by Amnesty International to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the Nigerian Army is destabilizing, injurious and defamatory.

“To say that the Nigerian military is guilty of murder pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(i); torture, cruelty, outrageous upon personal dignity and internationally directing attacks against civilians just exposed how far away from reality the ICC is. I consider it mischievous and malicious the timing of the release of the said report and the usual double standard of the so-called Amnesty International in demoralizing our patriotic army,” he said.

Olowu charged President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the rescue of the military by using the military instinct in him to insulate the men and officers on the war fronts against blackmail and sabotage. “I urge Mr. President, despite his ongoing political campaigns, to focus more on the insurgency battle. The insurgency is a war. Emergency could be declared in some affected areas.

“The budget of the military should not be questioned in times of emergency so that they could have enough resources to fight the battle. I will soon begin a tour of the palaces of traditional rulers in all the six geo-political zones of the country to advocate more support for the Nigerian military because the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable,” Oba Oyelude added.