Human rights group expresses concerns over Exercise Ayem a Kpatuma

- The Nigerian army's Exercise Ayem a Kpatuma (Cat race) is still generating reactions across the country

- A human rights group has voiced its concerns regarding the exercise

- The group says the military's knack for human rights abuses informed its decision to give a word of caution

The Independent Human Rights and Crime Monitoring Group has expressed its reservations concerning the recent launch of Exercise Ayem a Kpatuma (Cat Race) in Benue state.

The group made its stand known during a press briefing in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, on Saturday, February 24.

Speaking at the briefing, the executive director of the group, Patriot Solomon Adodo, frowned at the sudden change of Ayem a Kpatuma from 'operation' to 'exercise.'

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His words: “The military has been involved in operations in Nigeria at various times and locations and a common occurrence in all of the military operations is a tendency for the abuse of human rights.

“According to Amnesty International, the incidents in Adamawa state in 2017 marked a high-point where the military fired "rockets" as "warning" to deter communal clashes. Such actions have led to a good number of civilian casualties in many cases across the country.”

He continued: “Our objective is to monitor the execution of exercise Ayem a Kpatuma by the Nigerian Army to ensure an even handedness in the implementation of the operational objectives of restoring peace to the ravaged communities.

“In this regard, we have concerns which we wish the world should take note. This is imperative to enable both the army and the international community to work upon our observations and help avert a repeat of the human rights abuses experienced elsewhere in the course of military operations of this nature.”

Patriot Adodo expressed hope that the soldiers deployed would guarantee the safety of all members of the communities where the exercise is to take place.

Below are the key expectations of the group:

1. The army will humanely relate with members of the farming communities who have been the victims of armed herdsmen who attack and leave the attacked locations in a guerilla fashion.

2. The army will not bring an extra burden on the farming communities by exploiting the weak circumstances of the moment especially now that inhabitants of the affected communities are sacked from their ancestral homes.

3. We fear sexual exploitation of vulnerable women in those communities in the present circumstances. This ugly incident, we hope won't be allowed occur.

4. We expect that the military will not be compromised and their attitude may reflect in their operations while in Benue state.

5. Reports reaching us suggest that there are human rights abuses already taking place in the state. These condemnable acts are suspected to have been perpetrated by some military men who are part of exercise Ayem a Kpatuma. We condemn these acts and urge the military high command to order immediate investigation into the reported cases and accordingly saction their personnel found culpable of the said crimes.

6. We expect the army to be neutral, fair and resist the temptation to take sides with rampaging herdsmen as the police recently did.

7. We fear that the military operation may turn to be a tool in the hands of those who wish to truncate the implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of Benue state. This must NOT be allowed to happen as it will jeopardize the road-map to peace in the Benue Valley. Benue like any other state has the constitutional right to make laws for the running of the state.

8. We fear that the army may use the operation as an opportunity to provoke farmers into a negative reaction thereby leading to "justifiable" response of indiscriminate arrests.

9. The absence of codified rules of engagement from the army to the affected communities leaves room for concern because there are no clear expectations and code of conduct on the part of the communities or the general public.

10. We are hopeful that at the end of this exercise, the Nigerian Army will discharge itself creditably and fulfil it's mandate by bringing only peace to the ravaged communities.

11. We are hopeful that the attacks will cease at the end of exercise Ayem a Kpatuma and the terror that has been visited on farming communities will become a thing of the past.

12. We expect that the army will empathize with locals who have been ravaged and displaced rather than antagonize them.

13. We are confident that the resources the army needs will be provided so as to leave no room for excuses.

14. Our observers will be going into the field to both observe and gather data on reported infractions and the general conduct of the military during the exercise. Consequently, we expect the cooperation of the Nigerian army as we go about our duty.

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Meanwhile, the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse, has pledged the support of the traditional rulers and the entire people of Benue to the Nigerian army as it conducts Exercise Ayem Akpatuma - Cat Race in the state.

“We welcome the exercise. We believe it will help peace to return to Benue which has suffered series of attacks from herdsmen," the traditional ruler said as he received the chief of army staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, on Monday, February 19.

He, however, said the people were apprehensive of the exercise, recalling the clashes between the army and Tiv people at Zaki biam in the past and called for adequate enlightenment on the exercise.

Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State on Legit.ng TV

Source: Legit.ng