This was contained in the first quarter report by the Coalition of CSOs on human rights and conflict resolution in Nigeria on the ongoing war against insurgency is Nigeria.
The report signed by Gowon Maxwell Esq,
Executive Director of the coalition and made public during a media briefing explained that the review that let go the report monitored troops closely in their operations to appraise their conduct, observance of rules of engagement and compliance with best international standard to ensure that human rights remains sacrosanct.
He said the review also monitored the activities of international NGOs to ensure that their activities conform to the principles and purposes of the United Nations.
The report stated that from the findings of teams deployed it discovered that the reports of these NGOs have the potential to present Nigeria as a country with a military that has no good reputation, which would in turn make the country ineligible for international support.
It stated that the formation of Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Nigeria by some of these NGOs amounts to direct interference by foreign entities in the internal affairs of Nigeria, which runs contrary to the spirit of the United Nations.
“From our investigations, this is a covert operation aimed at blackmailing the Nigerian military which has remained the only tool used by the Nigerian state to enforce the rights of civilians to life and inhuman and degrading treatment from the terrorists.
“The NGOs’ position is capable of scandalizing the military to a point where the only option left is to withdraw troops from areas where they are operating, which would create an environment that would be conducive for a Boko Haram comeback to terrorize people in these places. An identified worrisome dimension is the seeming collaboration between these NGOs and top officials of the UNICEF, Priscilla Haveyda who are directly involved the execution of this agenda against the helpless people of Nigeria,” the report stated.
The report however expressed concern that the authorities in Nigeria, especially the Federal Government, does not recognize these NGOs as threats, hence the freedom it allows them to operate with, which they abuse by deploying their international affiliation as tools to destabilize their host countries.
It stated further that it’s investigation showed that Boko Haram has been degraded to a point that it can no longer engage in any impactful which has now left it to be reliant on the activities of NGOs on the PSEA platform to release reports that terrorize the people in the north east in line with their agenda, which is at variance from what they present themselves to be.
It recommended the reports of NGOs should be subjected to detailed reviews since they do not usually declare the interests of their organizations or that of their staffers in the counter insurgency war against Boko Haram.
It stated that, “NGOs that are genuinely desirous of improving the quality of life in the north-east of Nigeria should weigh the longer-term consequences of their intervention. Their parent organizations are urged to audit the activities of their country teams to ensure they are not deploy the organizations as cover for agenda that do not tally with improvement of human condition.”
