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Nigerian army frees 267 detainees, no links to Boko Haram Nigerian army frees 267 detainees, no links to Boko Haram
(35 minutes later)
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Nigeria’s army is freeing 267 detainees found to have no links to the Boko Haram Islamic extremists including 72 minors, some looking no more than 3 years old. MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Nigeria’s army freed 267 detainees Friday, including dozens of children, some as young as preschoolers, saying that investigators had determined they had no links to Boko Haram Islamic extremists.
Maj. Gen. Haruna Umaru says another eight suspects were handed to the police for further investigation. Maj. Gen. Haruna Umaru said eight others suspects were handed over to police for further investigation.
Umaru told a ceremony at a military barracks in northeastern Maiduguri city Friday that investigations found those released had no links with terrorism. Umaru told a ceremony Friday at a military barracks in the northeastern city of Maiduguri that the release should reassure Nigerians that “no individual will unjustly or unduly be incarcerated.” He said the Nigerian military remains “committed to the protection of the fundamental rights of every citizen of Nigeria and foreigners alike.”
They include four people from neighboring Cameroon and Niger. Nigerian law requires that anyone arrested be charged before a magistrate within 48 hours and be given access to a lawyer. But the military continues to hold people incommunicado, including foreigners. Four people from neighboring Cameroon and Niger were among those released Friday.
One freed woman said she was detained for six months on suspicion of being the girlfriend of a Boko Haram fighter. One freed woman, 21-year-old Hauwa Mohammed, told The Associated Press she had been held for six months on suspicion of being the girlfriend of a Boko Haram fighter.
It’s not known how many people remain in detention. Amnesty International holds Nigeria’s military responsible for the deaths of 8,000 detainees since 2011 — some shot outright, others dying of torture and starvation. It’s not known how many people remain in military detention.
Amnesty International has charged that Nigeria’s military is responsible for the deaths of some 8,000 detainees between 2011 and 2015 — some shot outright and others dying of torture, starvation or asphyxiation in overcrowded cells. The military has denied the charges.
Still, President Muhammadu Buhari has not made good on promises to investigate Amnesty’s allegations and its recommendation that nine senior officers with command responsibility be investigated for possible war crimes in the detainee deaths.
At Friday’s ceremony, Borno state Gov. Kashim Shettima said the detainees’ release “bears testimony to the fact that we are running a professional force, contrary to insinuations from several quarters, insinuations of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary detention and the dehumanization of the citizenry.”
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Associated Press writer Michelle Faul contributed to this report from Lagos, Nigeria.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.