Buratai asks troops to ignore ICC’s move to investigate Nigerian Security Forces

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has described the move by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Nigerian Security Forces as a wicked distraction.

The ICC had on Friday, December 11, 2020, announced its readiness to probe members of the Nigerian Security Forces for war crimes, rape, murder and other criminal offences.

In a statement by Fatou Bensouda, the ICC Prosecutor, the court said it has found a reasonable basis to believe that members of the security forces have committed crimes against humanity.

Reacting to this in a statement on Saturday, December 12, 2020, Buratai asked Nigerian troops fighting to ignore the statement by Bensouda lest they are demoralised.

Buratai said such statement “will have negative consequences on troops morale, interest in military service by Nigerians and severe setback to all our internal security operations in the country”.

He, therefore, enjoined “Nigerian Army troops to ignore the distractions and call on the gallant troops never to be worried or demoralized by these moves”.

While encouraging soldiers fighting Boko Haram, the COAS urged the “troops to ignore the wicked, unnecessary distractions and direct troops to fully concentrate on the final defeat of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists group which is in sight.”

Buratai, who is currently in isolation also charged the troops to work hard and be guided by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Rules of Engagement, the Code of Conduct and the Standing Operating Procedures for all Nigerian Army Operations.