TheCable

The National Human Right Commission (NHRC) has appealed to the federal government to expedite the trial of suspected Boko Haram insurgents being held in Maiduguri, Borno state.

Tony Ojukwu, NHRC executive secretary, made the appeal during an interactive session with reporters.

Ojukwu urged the military and ministry of justice to commence trial of the inmate to enable them know their faith instead of keeping them for a very long time.

”During our visit to the detention facility in Maiduguri, those of them we interacted with said their worries were to see the commencement of their trial,” he said.

”When their trial starts, they will know whether they are going to jail or home. They are feeling that their continued stay in detention would affect their future development.

”We have interviewed the director of public prosecution and he told us that they are making arrangement to commence the trial.”

He said the commission in partnership with Nigerian army had established human right desk offices in various formations to enhance accountability and respect for human right in its operations.

”We have trained human right advisories among the personnel who would then domesticate the knowledge to the fighting troops on the front line,” Ojukwu said.

”We, therefore, appeal to the ministry to deploy its human right advisory in the frontline to strengthen the capacity of officers and stem human right abuses.”