The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army (NA), Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Fejokwu has advised operatives on internal security operations to avoid deploying excessive use of force and uphold the human rights of the citizens.
Fejokwu said this during a sensitisation workshop on human rights and humanitarian laws held at the Army Officers’ Mess in Lagos.
The GOC who was represented by the division’s Chief Staff Officer (CSO), Brig.-Gen. Nsikak Edet, said there was need for troops to know when, how to and the degree of force to apply during internal security operations in line with treaties and principles of such operations.
He said lessons drawn from the #ENDSARS protests motivated the army to hold the workshop. Adding that participants would understand the legal status of a soldier as well as justification for the use of force.
Fejokwu said: “One of the principles of the Internal security treaty is the use of minimum force. So the troops need to know how to apply force, what would make them apply that excessive force or minimum force as the case may be. Officers and soldiers will be sensitised on these laws, so as to guide them in all their operations because we don’t want soldiers doing things that are not in accordance with the law.
“Sometimes, some people level certain accusations against the military. We want to make sure that everything we do is transparent by engaging our troops and officers to have mastery of the laws so that they will know how to apply them appropriately and not take laws into their hands when involved in operations or carrying out joint activity, either with other security agencies or other members of the Armed Forces.”
