The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has threatened to drag the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, and six others to International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for alleged extra-judicial killings.
This is as the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council (NTRC) has called on the federal government to implement the report of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of security challenges in the North.
They said the move would give Nigerians confidence in the government’s stance to restore peace and security to the North and the country as a whole.
The Northern Elders in a statement on Friday in Kaduna, accused the former army chief and six others of alleged extra-judicial killings and strangulation of civilians by soldiers in Bama and Giwa Barrack in Borno State, using underground detention centre.
The statement which was signed by the forum's spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi did not however mention the six others.
According Abdullahi, the NEF had earlier set up two investigative committees to probe the use of soldiers against civilians in Bama and some parts of Borno State.
According Abdullahi, the NEF had earlier set up two investigative committees to probe the use of soldiers against civilians in Bama and some parts of Borno State.
"It would be recalled that, the NEF had set up the two committees of legal and security experts to investigate the details of the gruesome use of force against unarmed civilians in Bama and other parts of Borno State and forward appropriate recommendations.
"At our meeting in Kaduna on the 15th January, 2014, we received the reports of the two committees on Security and Legal Matters, regarding extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama and the act of strangulating civilians in Giwa Barracks using an underground detention centre, while depositing the corps in hospital.
"At our meeting in Kaduna on the 15th January, 2014, we received the reports of the two committees on Security and Legal Matters, regarding extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama and the act of strangulating civilians in Giwa Barracks using an underground detention centre, while depositing the corps in hospital.
"The Forum has therefore resolved to harmonise the reports of the two committees, preparatory to filing a case of extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian Army under the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika and six others.
"The reports will be harmonised at our emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday the 22nd of January 2014, for further action", the statement said.
"The reports will be harmonised at our emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday the 22nd of January 2014, for further action", the statement said.
On the implementation of the Dialogue Committee report, the traditional rulers also called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency and necessity, address those seeming imbalances in the political and economic spheres to give all parts of the country a sense of belonging.
These were some of the resolutions contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting which held in Kaduna.
The communiqué signed by the Emir of Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, Alhaji Zubair Jibril Maigwari II, noted that the security of every nation was predicated on justice and fair play and called on governments at all levels to ensure justice and fairness to every Nigerian.
The communiqué signed by the Emir of Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, Alhaji Zubair Jibril Maigwari II, noted that the security of every nation was predicated on justice and fair play and called on governments at all levels to ensure justice and fairness to every Nigerian.
The NTRC further noted that some interest groups were using religion and ethnicity to bring about divisions within the society to the detriment of the development of the nation and urged all northerners to embrace positive dialogue with one another and respect their diversity and speak truthfully to each other with a view to healing wounds inflicted in the course of advancing selfish interests.
The communiqué commended both the National Assembly and President Goodluck Jonathan for courageously passing the law against same sex marriage in spite of international pressure against doing so, describing the signing of the law as landmark legislation”.
The communiqué expressed appreciation to the governors of Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi and Kebbi States as well as a delegation of the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) led by its Chairman, Alhaji Maitama Sule and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who was represented by Major Gen, Bello SarkinYaki (rtd) for attending the meeting.
Source: This Day
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