The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has said that the increasing solidarity and support for the counter terror war waged by the armed forces of Nigeria by the members of the public is rapidly yielding positive results.

The Rights group also applauded the Nigerian Army for rescuing vulnerable Nigerians held hostage by armed terrorists in the theatre of the counter insurgency war in the North-East of Nigeria.

HURIWA in a statement on Sunday called the acts of rescuing vulnerable Nigerians held hostage by armed terrorists by the Army as “a heroic show of respect for the fundamental human rights of Nigerians by the Nigerian Army which is worthy of celebration and commendation by all Nigerians because it is popularly stated that If you commend someone for a job well done that person will intensify efforts in doing good deeds for the nation.”

HURIWA in the statement endorsed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, said it was gratifying that the Nigerian Armed forces have effectively worked out strategic interfaces with good spirited citizens in the North East of Nigeria leading to several reported victories recorded by the combatants of the Nigerian Armed forces.

The rights group said the continuous freeing of commoners and innocent children, women and the aged hitherto kept as prisoners of war or hostages by the armed terrorists is the primary reason for the increasing situation of enhanced public confidence and trust reposed on the Nigerian Army by the ordinary people of Nigeria residing in the frontline states within the North East of Nigeria.

HURIWA said: “We received with overwhelming excitement the information from the official spokesperson of the Counter terror war that the reinvigorated drive to end the insurgency in the North East is paying off with the Nigerian Army troops continuing to sustain the tempo of the ongoing Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency operations in the North East with a view to decimating and destroying the remnants of Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) criminals across the Operation LAFIYA DOLE Theatre. We have just read from Colonel Iliyasu that in one of the numerous operations conducted across the Theatre on 16th November 2019, that the gallant troops of 26 Task Force Brigade embarked on a Clearance Patrol to Dalu Village within the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State following credible intelligence report on the presence of some of the criminal insurgents in that area. The information also stated that fortunately, the report and intelligence was confirmed to be actionable just as the troops soon established contact with the marauding terrorists and effectively subdued them with their superior fire power during the ensuing fire fight.”

The civil rights advocacy group said further: “HURIWA is also happy to know from the official information from the Army that subsequently, the troops proceeded to thoroughly cleared the village of the presence of the criminal insurgents. The clearance operation as we were told yielded good dividends as the troops found and rescued an octogenarian, 3 women and four children hitherto held captives by the criminal insurgents.”

HURIWA showered encomiums on the Nigerian armed forces for promoting human rights of the indigent hostages thus: “HURIWA learnt that the rescued victims were promptly evacuated and children among them were equally administered with Polio Vaccination by a Nigerian Army medical team. Interestingly, no causality was recorded by own troops during the commando operations. However, many of the Boko Haram criminal elements were observed to have fled in disarray towards the summit of Mandara Mountains with gunshot wounds.

“HURIWA is hereby commending the Army and the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai for the consistent show of competent and capable leadership of the largest Army in the black World and we encourage him to continue to mainstream the respect of the fundamental human rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended); Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Civil and political Rights; the African charter on Human and People’s Rights, the Vienna Declarations on Rules of engagements in war and peace time military operations.

We believe that if the Nigerian Army continues to provide succour and reliefs for the citizens facing the unprecedented security nightmares posed by terrorism and terrorists, then the people will continue to partner with the Nigerian Army to ensure that lasting peace is achieved in a record time so they can return back to their normal life and build their destroyed livelihoods with the assistance of all and sundry and of course the Federal Government.

“HURIWA is pleased to read from the Nigerian Army officially telling us Nigerians that the troops’ resilience and doggedness are unwavering as further exploitation to complete the annihilation of the insurgents is being sustained in the mountainous environment.

“HURIWA applauds the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, for his reassurance to us members of the general public of the resolve of the Nigerian Army to continue to execute military’s constitutional mandate professionally and responsibly for a better secured Nigeria.

“HURIWA thinks that it is a mark of good leadership that the Army Chief is also thanking all well-meaning Nigerians for their continued support, goodwill and understanding towards officers and men of the Nigerian Army as they sustain the conduct of various operations and routine exercises nationwide.”

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