30th May, 2025
PRESS RELEASE:
AMNESTY INT REPORT ON NIGERIA JAUNDICED – MURIC
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the latest report of Amnesty
International on Nigeria. The Islamic human rights group described the report
as jaundiced, lacking substance, balance and objectivity. MURIC accused Amnesty
International of ignoring all the achievements and victories of the Nigerian
security agencies while it concentrated on the killings and other atrocities with
the aim of demarketing Nigeria.
The faith-based non-governmental organization spoke
on Friday, 30th May, 2025 via a press release signed by its
Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
Full details:
“In a report released yesterday, 29th
May, 2025, Amnesty International gave horrid details of killings and
kidnappings in Nigeria. The report, to our minds, looks more like an hatchet
job for fifth columnists or foreign enemies of Nigeria than a constructive
criticism and balanced report expected of an organization of international
repute like Amnesty International.
“A damning report about Nigeria must generate
attention among its citizens particularly because it has the capacity to
determine their rating among the comity of nations and consequently their future
welfare.
“This is where a group like ours operating within
the country finds it mandatory to speak up even when we are not the best of
friends with the current administration. But we must not allow our displeasure
which arose from the administration’s stylish marginalization of Muslims in
political appointments becloud our sense of objectivity.
“We assert that Amnesty International’s report
went haywire. It was too biased and heavily jaundiced. All it reported were the
violent killings and kidnappings by terrorists without giving recognition to
the gallant efforts of men of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police in
curbing the insurgency and criminalities. This is the lacuna we intend to fill.
“The achievements of the Nigerian security
agencies in battling insurgents and criminals are so many that all the details
cannot be given in this short space. For example, troops of 177 Guards
Battalion in conjunction with troops of Operation Whirl Stroke and the Civilian
Joint Task Force in Nassarawa State rescued no fewer than 30 abducted civilians
on 14th January, 2023. The victims were rescued after gun duels
between troops and terrorists in Nassa, FCT, and Kogi state. (https://punchng.com/soldiers-rescue-30-kidnapped-victims-kill-terrorists/).
“The combined offensives by the military against
terrorists and other criminal elements across the country in February 2025
resulted in the rescue of 320 kidnapped victims while 221 terrorists were
killed. Troops recently killed 213 terrorists in the Northern part of the
country and arrested 216 criminals across the country. (https://worldstagenews.com/nigeria-military-frowns-at-late-report-of-kidnapping-incidents/).
“The Nigerian military achieved significant
success in counter-terrorism operations during the first quarter of 2024. The
military reported killing 2,352 terrorists, arresting 2,308 individuals, and
rescuing 1,241 kidnapped hostages in various operations across the nation.
Additionally, several terrorist commanders were eliminated during these
operations (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ-h49-2-ZI).
“In February 2025 alone, troops arrested a total
of 674 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers as well as perpetrators of oil theft
while recovering various assorted weapons and ammunition, including 146 AK-47
rifles, 87 fabricated rifles, 36 assorted Dane guns and 6140 assorted
ammunition (https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/02/troops-rescue-320-kidnapped-victims-kill-221-terrorists-in-february/)
“Just before going to press today, the army command
announced the killing of 60 terrorists in gun battle. The terrorists were neutralized
by troops of Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army today, Friday, 30th
May, 2025. The
land and air operation took place in Bita, Borno State in the early hours of
Friday (https://dailypost.ng/2025/05/30/military-kills-over-60-terrorists-in-gun-battle/).
“These and many other achievements took place
under the Tinubu administration but were not included in the hatchet report of
Amnesty International. The Nigerian Army also announced four days ago that it
is currently re-strategising to meet changing situations in the battlefield (https://dailypost.ng/2025/05/28/nigerian-military-restrategises-against-insurgency-in-borno/).
“Apart from the victories being achieved by Nigerian
troops against the insurgents, the Nigerian Police and other security agencies have
made their marks in the war against terrorists and criminals.
“In 2024, the Nigeria Police
Force recorded major successes in tackling crime, leading to the arrest of
30,313 suspects for various heinous offences, the recovery of 1,984 assorted
firearms, 23,250 rounds of ammunition of varying calibres, and the rescue of
1,581 kidnapped victims (https://dailytrust.com/over-30000-suspected-criminals-arrested-in-2024-igp/).
“On 28th November, 2024, police
operatives attached to the Borno State Command repelled a group of armed and
dreaded terrorists who attacked the Jakana Divisional Police Headquarters,
Borno State. The group was met with strong resistance fro m gallant operatives
of the Nigeria Police Force, who successfully repelled the attack and left many
of the attackers with varying degrees of bullet wounds, while one police
officer was injured (https://npf.gov.ng/news/details/531).
“The Nigeria Police has also carried out several
successful rescue operations among which was the rescue of 28 kidnap victims in
Enugu State where 10 suspects were arrested (https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/795627-police-rescue-28-kidnap-victims-arrest-10-suspects.html).
“Unfortunately, however, Amnesty International
buried the heroic acts of Nigerian soldiers and policemen mentioned above with
many others under its demarketing sentiment. Amnesty was merely interested in
painting Nigeria as a constant battleground, a mafia nation of gangsterism and
a blood thirsty land of wild people.
“Amnesty International ignored all the
achievements and victories of the Nigerian security agencies while it
concentrated on the killings and other atrocities with the aim of demarketing
Nigeria. Amnesty International’s report lacks balance. It has only succeeded in
massaging the ego of the terrorists. It is long in tautology, short in critical
analysis.”
#RejectJaundicedAmnestyInternationalReport
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Founder/Executive Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).
No comments:
Post a Comment