Panel Probing Alleged Rights Abuses By Military Sits In Lagos

Panel Probing Alleged Rights Abuses By Military Sits In Lagos

The presidential panel of investigation set up to review compliance of the military with human rights obligations and rules of engagement has begun sitting in Lagos State.

The panel, which was inaugurated in August, is headed by a justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Biobele Georgewill.

After sitting in the North, South-South and South-East regions of the country, the judicial panel officially commenced sitting on Tuesday at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, to hear petitions for the South West zone.

The panel listened to parties who submitted before it, petitions of alleged human rights abuses by the military in the course of managing and containing local conflicts and insurgencies.

In an interview with Channels Television, Justice Georgewill informed that members of the panel would visit the Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Prison.

He said the visit was necessary to see how long Boko Haram detainees have been held and the conditions under which they are being held, as well as to know whether they were being taken to court.

According to him, the panel hopes to submit its report in the next three weeks.

On August 11, the then Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, said the panel was inaugurated in response to continuous allegations of war crimes committed by the military.

Amid calls that the panel should be allowed to work independently without any interference, the Vice President said the team would work within the ambit of the law to review the extant rules of engagement and the extent of compliance with