Defence Ministry, UN Partner on Victims' Rights, Humanitarian Law

The Federal Government has strengthened its partnership with the United Nations on human rights protection and victims' rights advocacy as part of efforts to reinforce accountability in military operations.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (retd.), stated this on Wednesday during a diplomatic working visit by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Victims' Rights Advocate, Ms. Najla Nassif Palma, to the Ministry of Defence in Abuja.

A statement by the Minister's Special Assistant on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, said Musa reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to international humanitarian law and globally accepted human rights standards in all military operations.

The minister said the Federal Government had put in place mechanisms to address historical issues arising from previous foreign peacekeeping missions, particularly longstanding paternity claims linked to Nigeria's participation in peacekeeping operations in Liberia.

He assured the UN delegation of a transparent and effective communication process to facilitate the resolution of the legacy cases and bring lasting closure to affected victims.

Palma, in her remarks, disclosed that the United Nations was currently reviewing 42 legacy cases and appealed for Nigeria's continued collaboration in ensuring justice and redress for victims.

She added that some of the affected persons had also expressed interest in acquiring Nigerian citizenship.

Both parties agreed to institutionalise their collaboration through specialised training, joint workshops and capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening respect for human rights and embedding international humanitarian law within the operational doctrine of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The meeting underscored the commitment of both Nigeria and the United Nations to advancing accountability, victims' rights and human rights compliance in peacekeeping and military operations.