At least 35,000 lives have been lost in Nigeria’s North-East insurgency since its inception in 2009, according to a report by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Elsie Mills-Tetty, the head of UNHCR’s Adamawa office, revealed this information during a training session for military personnel on human rights and civilian protection in Yola.
The training, organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with UNHCR, aimed to raise awareness about human rights issues among the military. Mills-Tetty emphasized the significant impact of these acts of violence on the economic and social development of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Nigeria as a whole.
The UNHCR representative also highlighted the NHRC’s efforts in investigating human rights complaints and assisting victims in seeking justice. In 2022 alone, the commission received a total of 2,314 complaints, with Adamawa state accounting for approximately three percent of the overall number.
The NHRC’s 2022 report further indicated that incidents of insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, farmer-herder clashes, and attacks by armed individuals continued to rise, resulting in a growing number of internally displaced persons facing severe human rights violations.
During the training, participants were urged to take full advantage of the opportunity to enhance their understanding of human rights principles and apply them effectively in their line of duty.
Tony Ojukwu, the executive secretary of NHRC, stressed the importance of integrating human rights into the counter-insurgency efforts of Nigerian troops in the North-East. He commended the military and other law enforcement agencies for their exceptional performance in containing insurgency, reminding everyone that the insurgents often reside within the civilian population, making it challenging to distinguish between them and innocent citizens.
In conclusion, this training session aimed to equip military personnel with the necessary knowledge and skills to uphold human rights while combating insurgency. The UNHCR and NHRC played pivotal roles in organizing and facilitating this training, reinforcing their commitment to ensuring the protection and well-being of individuals affected by the armed conflict in Nigeria’s North-East region.
