Rights Abuse: Coalition describes UN’s report on Nigeria as compilation of hearsay

The Coalition of Civil Society on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria has labelled the United Nations’ (UN) report on human right abuse in the country as “compilation of hearsay”.

The Coalition made this known in a special report on how the UN’s Committee on Human Rights failed to act in the best interest of women and children at the mercy of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist.

According to the group, the UN’s assertion is not a reflection of the issues on the ground as it concerns high level of corruption, killings, and human rights violations.

In the report carefully signed by Chijioke Ude and Kolawole Oso, Secretary-General and Head Civil Military Affairs respectively, the Coalition commissioned four sub-themes including human rights violations, extra-judicial killings and corruption.

After extensively examining the various issues raised by its report, the Coalition concluded that the United Nations is indeed guilty of defaulting in its core mandate.

Being an intergovernmental organization tasked with maintaining international peace and security, especially as it concerns women and children, the group believes these critical aspects were neglected in the compilation of its report.

“ The plight of women and children in the theatre of operations in North East Nigeria has received extensive attention especially with the new strategy of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist using women and children as sex slaves, suicide bombers and also a human shield to perpetuate violence.

“ The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) whose operations in Nigeria has been dogged with a lackadaisical approach has been reluctant and in most instances unperturbed by the actions of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists towards women and children. It is instructive to state that the bulk of the suicide bombings are carried out by young boys and girls that have been either brained washed or threatened with death by Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

“ This anomaly has been reported by a substantial number of civil society organizations, and yet the United Nations have not risen to the occasion to enact measures that would see to the protection of women and children from the hands of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

“ The position of the UN on this critical issue is suspect and an indication that it is either shying away from its responsibilities or it is in cahoots with Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist. That the United Nations Human Rights Committee didn’t highlight the plight of women and children is also a worrisome aspect that should not be swept under the rug. It sufficiently indicates that there are political undertones to its recently released report, hence a need for members of the unsuspecting public to tread with caution.

“ The Coalition of Civil Society on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights in Nigeria having extensively researched on the various issues canvased by the United Nations Committee on Human Rights states that the United Nations are indeed the guilty party having for inexcusable reasons defaulted in his core mandate to Nigeria been a member state of the United Nations.

“ The critical aspect women and children were highly neglected by the United Nations Committee on Human Rights in the compilation of its report. It also for inexplicable reasons didn’t touch on the threat posed by ISWAP fighters along the fringes of the Lake Chad basin region that is capable of putting Sub Saharan Africa at risk.

“ The United Nations Committee on Human Rights acted in haste and without recourses to the peculiarities of the war and the commitment of the Nigerian Authorities in the areas above.

“ The Coalition of Civil Society on Conflict Resolution and Human Rights affirms that the Nigerian Authorities since 2015 have exhibited a commitment to upholding the human rights of its citizens regardless of religion, ethnicity, or sex. Though contrary to the position of the United Nations Committee on Human rights, it is sufficing to state that all the information provided herein are first hand derived from years of research work that engaged directly with the relevant actors in offices and on the field. As against relying on rumours, and second-hand information. “