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| Nigeria army 'abuses' in Boko Haram crackdown - Amnesty | Nigeria army 'abuses' in Boko Haram crackdown - Amnesty |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Nigerian security forces have carried out widespread abuses in their campaign against the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Amnesty International says. | Nigerian security forces have carried out widespread abuses in their campaign against the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Amnesty International says. |
| The rights group says in a report that abuses include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture. | The rights group says in a report that abuses include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture. |
| A spokesman from the Nigerian army rejected the accusations, saying soldiers always operate within the law. | A spokesman from the Nigerian army rejected the accusations, saying soldiers always operate within the law. |
| Boko Haram campaigns for an Islamic state and has been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of people this year. | Boko Haram campaigns for an Islamic state and has been blamed for the deaths of hundreds of people this year. |
| It has carried out frequent attacks in northern and central Nigeria since 2009. | It has carried out frequent attacks in northern and central Nigeria since 2009. |
| 'Climate of fear' | |
| In its report, Amnesty blamed Boko Haram for widespread atrocities, including murder, burning down churches and schools, and attacks against the media. | |
| But it said a heavy-handed response by the security forces had only fuelled further violence. | |
| Some people say they face danger from the fighters of Boko Haram and from the military. | Some people say they face danger from the fighters of Boko Haram and from the military. |
| In Kano I met a family still grieving for an 18-year-old son. According to relatives, Ahmad Yunusa was working at a fuel station close to a police station that was attacked by Boko Haram gunmen in March. The soldiers then stormed the area. | In Kano I met a family still grieving for an 18-year-old son. According to relatives, Ahmad Yunusa was working at a fuel station close to a police station that was attacked by Boko Haram gunmen in March. The soldiers then stormed the area. |
| "Soldiers came 45 minutes later and opened fire. They asked no questions. They shot him in the leg. My son died," said Yunusa Shaaibu, adding that three people were killed in the same incident. | "Soldiers came 45 minutes later and opened fire. They asked no questions. They shot him in the leg. My son died," said Yunusa Shaaibu, adding that three people were killed in the same incident. |
| "My son, who was supporting me. When they paid him he would buy food for my wife and my children. They've killed him now," the father said as he held photos of Ahmad. | "My son, who was supporting me. When they paid him he would buy food for my wife and my children. They've killed him now," the father said as he held photos of Ahmad. |
| "They killed him. I have had no apology from the army at all." | "They killed him. I have had no apology from the army at all." |
| "The cycle of attack and counter-attack has been marked by unlawful violence on both sides, with devastating consequences for the human rights of those trapped in the middle," said the group's secretary general, Salil Shetty. | "The cycle of attack and counter-attack has been marked by unlawful violence on both sides, with devastating consequences for the human rights of those trapped in the middle," said the group's secretary general, Salil Shetty. |
| "People are living in a climate of fear and insecurity, vulnerable to attack from Boko Haram and facing human rights violations at the hands of the very state security forces which should be protecting them." | "People are living in a climate of fear and insecurity, vulnerable to attack from Boko Haram and facing human rights violations at the hands of the very state security forces which should be protecting them." |
| Reports of people being shot dead by the army or beaten to death in detention were particularly common in the north-east of the country, Amnesty said. | Reports of people being shot dead by the army or beaten to death in detention were particularly common in the north-east of the country, Amnesty said. |
| In response, Nigerian army spokesman Col SK Usman told the BBC that soldiers were professional and properly trained. | In response, Nigerian army spokesman Col SK Usman told the BBC that soldiers were professional and properly trained. |
| "There is no Nigerian soldier that goes out on the streets to just kill innocent Nigerians," he said. | "There is no Nigerian soldier that goes out on the streets to just kill innocent Nigerians," he said. |
| "So whatever we do we always make sure it is done within the ambit of the law." | "So whatever we do we always make sure it is done within the ambit of the law." |
| Amnesty's report documents what it calls an "increasing climate of fear" in which people are too scared to report crimes and journalists do not dare to cover them. | Amnesty's report documents what it calls an "increasing climate of fear" in which people are too scared to report crimes and journalists do not dare to cover them. |
| It calls on Nigeria's government to clarify the truth about incidents linked to Boko Haram, establish accountability for abuses and bring those responsible to justice. | It calls on Nigeria's government to clarify the truth about incidents linked to Boko Haram, establish accountability for abuses and bring those responsible to justice. |
| Meanwhile, Nigerian Senator Ahmed Zanna has launched a $31m (£19m) defamation suit against the government over claims by the military last month that a Boko Haram commander, Shuaibu Muhammed Bama, had been arrested at his home in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri. | |
| Mr Zanna filed papers in the High Court in the capital, Abuja, saying the claim was false and was intended to discredit him. | |
| It had caused him "mental trauma, shock and embarrassment", he added. |