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Boko Haram: Gruesome Footage Implicates Military in Atrocities

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Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, COAS
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Gruesome video footage, images and testimonies gathered by Amnesty International provide fresh evidence of extrajudicial executions and other serious human rights violations being carried out in north-eastern Nigeria as the fight by the military against Boko Haram and other armed groups intensifies.

The footage, obtained from numerous sources during a recent trip to Borno state, reveals graphic evidence of multiple war crimes being carried out in Nigeria.

It includes horrific images of detainees having their throats slit one by one and dumped in mass graves by men who appear to be members of the Nigerian military and the “Civilian Joint Task Force” (CJTF), state-sponsored militias.

It also shows the aftermath of a Boko Haram raid on a village that resulted in almost 100 deaths and destruction on a massive scale.

“This shocking new evidence is further proof of the appalling disregard for humanity in north-eastern Nigeria, where war crimes are being committed with abandon by all sides in the conflict. What does it say about a country when members of its military carry out such unspeakable acts and then deliberately capture the images on film?” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s secretary general.

“These are not the images we expect from a country which sees itself as having a leadership role in Africa. The ghastly images are made worse by the numerous testimonies we have gathered which suggest that extrajudicial executions are, in fact, regularly carried out by the Nigerian military and CJTF.”

More than 4,000 people have been killed by all sides in the conflict during armed attacks this year alone. Civilians who are not directly participating in hostilities make up the majority of this death toll.

In recent months, the conflict has intensified in north-eastern Nigeria, spreading to smaller towns and villages which are now increasingly on the front line. In July 2014 Damboa in Borno state became the first town to fall officially under the control of Boko Haram since President Goodluck Jonathan declared the State of Emergency in May 2013.

The heavy-handed behaviour of the military also caused shock waves in Kaduna state in July. A fatal crackdown was carried out in response to a peaceful protest by the Shi’ite Zakzaky sect in Zaria. Thirty-three people were killed, including two children; 12 were killed while held in detention.

Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to ensure that the military stops committing human rights violations.

All reports of extrajudicial executions and other war crimes and serious violations must be investigated promptly, thoroughly, independently and impartially, with those responsible – up the entire chain of command – brought to justice.

“Members of Boko Haram and other armed groups are responsible for a huge number of heinous crimes – like the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok more than three months ago – but the military are supposed to defend people, not to carry out further abuses themselves,” said Salil Shetty.



“A state of emergency must not give way to a state of lawlessness. Sadly, the same communities are now being terrorized in turn by Boko Haram and the military alike.”

Grisly extrajudicial executions
The footage obtained by Amnesty International includes a gruesome incident that took place near Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, on 14 March 2014.

It shows what appear to be members of the Nigerian military and CJTF using a blade to slit the throats of a series of detainees, before dumping them into an open mass grave.

The video shows 16 young men and boys seated in a line. One by one, they are called forward and told to lie down in front of the pit. Five of them are killed in this way; the fate of the remaining detainees is not shown on video, but eyewitness accounts confirmed that nine of them had their throats cut while the others were shot to death.

Additional footage featuring some of the same perpetrators, taken earlier that day at the same location, shows two detainees digging a grave under armed guard before the killing is carried out.

One is told to lie down in front of the pit, where his legs and head are held by what seem to be CJTF members.

The individual who appears to be the commander of the group puts his right foot on the man’s side, raises his knife, kisses it and shouts “Die hard Commando” and cuts the throat of the restrained young man. All other military and CJTF shout “Yes oga [boss], kill him”.

Amnesty International spoke to several military sources who independently confirmed that the armed captors in the video were indeed military personnel, and according to two credible sources, they may be part of the 81 Battalion, which is based in Borno State.

No buildings, roads or other infrastructure can be seen in the video but the noise of cars confirms that it is near a road. Several of the armed captors are wearing military uniforms, one of which has the words “Borno State Operation Flush” emblazoned on the front. The ID number on one of the guns is also clearly identifiable.

Eyewitnesses also confirmed to Amnesty International that the videos were taken on 14 March 2014, the day of Boko Haram’s attack on the military detention centre in Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri. Boko Haram forces reportedly released their members and told all other detainees to either join them or go home.

 After Boko Haram had left the town, more than 600 people, mostly recaptured detainees, were extrajudicially executed in various locations across Maiduguri.

The detainees in the video were rearrested by the CJTF in Giddari Polo, near the Barracks, where various sources have confirmed that a number of them were shot and killed by soldiers after being handed over to the military. The military then took the corpses and the detainees to a location outside Maiduguri, near Giddari where the executions are reported to have been carried out.

Military roundups in Bama
Further video evidence obtained by Amnesty International reveals atrocities carried out in Bama, a town 70km south-east of Maiduguri.

Bama is one of the many communities that has been a focal point of the violence over the past two years. It has frequently been targeted in armed raids by Boko Haram and has also been singled out at least twice by the Nigerian military for mass arbitrary arrests of people whom they allege are Boko Haram members.

Residents told Amnesty International about a “screening” operation which took place on 23 July 2013. Scores of Nigerian military and CJTF from Maiduguri arrived in the central market around 11am and told all the adult men to gather in one area and take off their clothes.

According to eyewitnesses, the men were then lined up and, one by one, told to close their eyes as they were pushed in front of a man seated in a vehicle.

The man then indicated left or right. Up to 35 men who were sent to the left were alleged to be Boko Haram members. The remaining 300 or so were sent to the right, deemed to be innocent.

The video evidence obtained by Amnesty International corroborates multiple eyewitness accounts of what happened next.

 The Nigerian military and CJTF members ordered those alleged to be Boko Haram members to lie down side by side on the ground, and then beat them with sticks and machetes. One eyewitness told Amnesty International the military officials shouted: “You have to beat, even kill these; they are Boko Haram.”

The footage shows how during this “screening” operation, the military and CJTF fired celebratory shots in the air. Up to 35 detainees were then loaded onto a single military vehicle and taken away to the local military barracks in Bama.



Several days later, on the afternoon of 29 July, military personnel took the men out of the barracks and brought them to their communities, where they shot them dead, several at a time, before dumping their corpses. One local resident told Amnesty International how the gunshots rang out from around 2pm into the evening as soldiers shot and deposited the bodies in different places around the town. 



A relative of one of the extra-judicially executed men described the aftermath: “At that time everyone was aware that these people [had been] killed, [and] started running to look. We found [our relative] near Bama bridge. Plenty of people were with us.

They [had] shot five of them [in that location alone]. There were five bodies including [my relative]. He had a bullet hole in his chest and no clothes, only trousers. We took the body and buried it. There is no death certificate; Bama hospital is not functioning. There is no place to complain; the town has restricted movement. Everybody left what happened to God.”

Deadly Boko Haram raid 


Like many other communities in north-eastern Nigeria, Bama’s residents have been living in constant fear of attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups.

These are sometimes believed to be in retaliation for what the armed groups deem to be the local residents’ co-operation with the Nigerian military. Many of the attacks are met with little resistance by the military. 


Boko Haram staged its most deadly assault on the town over the course of several hours early in the morning of 19 February 2014, which locals report left almost 100 people dead and more than 200 injured. Improvised explosive devices and grenades were used to destroy huge swathes of the town.

“The insurgents had a field day, killing, burning and demolishing,” one Bama resident told Amnesty International.

Video footage taken in the aftermath of the attack shows the charred remains of numerous cars and buildings, including fire damage to the top floor of the local Emir’s (Shehu’s) palace. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that schools and other administrative buildings were also bombed or torched, and more than 100 residents’ vehicles were destroyed.

The footage from the aftermath shows scores of corpses wrapped for burial.

Amnesty International is calling for an immediate, independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the pattern of serious and systematic violations of human rights and international humanitarian law that is emerging in north-eastern Nigeria.

The Nigerian government must publicly condemn such acts, including reports of arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detention, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment, and extrajudicial executions carried out by the Nigerian military.


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Lagos Plastic Ban: MAN Warns of Job Losses, Closure of Businesses

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Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has expressed concerns over the impending ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.

Lagos Plastic Ban:  MAN Warns of Job Losses, Closure of Businesses

It warned that it could lead to job losses and  and lead to economic, operational, and social consequences for manufacturers, traders, recyclers, and end users.

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director general, MAN, in a statement called on the Lagos State government to reconsider the ban, citing a lack of credible data and stakeholder engagement.

According to Ajayi-Kadir, a recent study revealed that 100% of manufacturers surveyed expressed fears of job losses and workforce restructuring if the ban is implemented.

He said, “A recent MAN-supported study evaluating the possible impacts of the Lagos State SUPs ban revealed significant adverse economic, operational, and social implications across the value chain, from manufacturers to wholesalers, traders, and end users. It has been noted that only poor and developing countries often tilt towards plastic ban as a strategy to combat environmental problems.

“A hundred percent of the manufacturers consulted expressed concern over a ban-induced workforce restructuring. Thus, several jobs will be lost in the industry if this ban were to be implemented.

“It is noteworthy to mention that there is no form of arrangement for social protection for the employees who will lose their livelihoods as a result of this ban.

“Also, there has been no form of social dialogue on the part of the government with these workers or the industry on the potential job losses.”

According to him, findings showed that 89% of operators in the plastic value chain rely on SUPs as their primary source of income with no alternative source of livelihoods, over 75% of end users, including SMEs, depend on plastic packaging with no affordable or practical alternatives, and  93% of dealers, many of whom are women, reported no prior information or social support mechanisms to cushion the impact.

Ajayi-Kadir emphasised that banning SUPs would not resolve pollution issues but merely substitute one problem for another, especially without scalable alternatives or infrastructure to support the transition.

He urged the government to focus on improving waste management infrastructure and promoting recycling, rather than imposing bans.

 

 


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Court Hands 23 Chinese Nationals 1 Year Jail Term Each for Cyberterrorism, Fraud

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A Federal High Court in Ikeja, Lagos state has sentenced 23 Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for their involvement in cyberterrorism and internet fraud.

Court Hands 23 Chinese Nationals 1 Year Jail Term each for Cyberterrorism, Fraud

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned them before Justices D.E. Osiagor, D.I. Dipeolu, and A.O. Faji on a single count of cyberterrorism and online fraud.

Dele Oyewale,  spokesperson, EFCC,  revealed that the convicted individuals were members of a cyber-fraud syndicate comprising 792 people.

He noted that the culprits were arrested on Thursday, December 19, 2024 in Lagos, during an operation known as ‘Eagle Flush.’

Oyewale stated that the individuals identified as Yu Hui (also known as A. Bin), Huang Jin Hui, Fei Fan, Lu Qiang, Hu Xi Zheng, Sun Zhi Peng, Wu Hao, Cong Bing, and Li Qiang alias Yang Huan Huan, Zheng Wei alias A. Hong, Cheng Jian, Da Tou, A Wen, Zhang Lei, Huang Zhi, Pan Jiong, Chen Wen Yuan, Jia You alias A. You, Wang Zheng Feng alias Feng, Liu San Hua, Liu Beixing, and Wen Zong Xu alias Li Long were all charged on one count of online fraud and cyber-terrorism.

One of the charges brought against Yu Hui (also known as A. Bin) claimed that he, along with others, unlawfully accessed computer systems in Lagos around December 2024 with the intent to destabilize and damage Nigeria’s economy and social structure.

According to the EFCC, this act violated Section 18(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, and is punishable under that law.

Similarly, another charge filed against Jia You, accused him of accessing computer systems with the aim of undermining and harming Nigeria’s economic and social stability.

This action was said to be in breach of both the Cybercrimes Act and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Initially all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, during the court session, they pleaded  guilty.

The EFCC prosecution team comprising of Nneemeka Omewa, Babatunde Sonoiki, U.S Kyari, and B.M Isah informed the court that the defendants had reached plea bargain agreements.

The defence team confirmed this and requested the court to adopt the terms of the agreements.

Justices Osiagor, Faji, and Dipeolu found each defendant guilty and sentenced them to one year in prison, with the sentence starting from their arrest date on Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

Each convict was also fined N1 million.

Additionally, the judges ordered the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to deport the convicts within seven days of completing their sentences.

All devices recovered during the operation including mobile phones, laptops, and routers were forfeited to the Nigerian government.


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Galaxy Backbone Reaffirms Commitment to Support Security Agencies with Its Vast Digital Infrastructure

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The Board, Management, and Staff of Galaxy Backbone (GBB) express profound sorrow and heartfelt condolences to the governments and people of Benue, Borno, Plateau, Anambra, and other states affected by recent waves of violent attacks and insecurity. We mourn with every family, community, and institution that has suffered the pain of loss, displacement, and trauma.

At Galaxy Backbone (GBB), we firmly believe that security is the bedrock of any thriving society. No nation can make meaningful progress when peace is threatened. These tragic incidents are not just national emergencies, they represent deep personal losses to every Nigerian, and they call for urgent, united, and technology-enabled solutions to support lasting peace.

As a Federal Government organization, entrusted with delivering secure digital infrastructure and smart technology solutions to public institutions across Nigeria, Galaxy Backbone remains resolute in its commitment to supporting state governments and security agencies through cutting-edge digital platforms that enable proactive and intelligent security management.

We also acknowledge and commend the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the concerted efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria in responding decisively to the security challenges facing parts of the country. The President’s unwavering commitment to peace, safety, and national unity under the Renewed Hope Agenda is evident in the bold steps being taken to restore order and build a more secure Nigeria.

Through our Safe City Security Solutions, GBB offers an integrated suite of smart surveillance systems, real-time data analytics, emergency communication networks, and AI-enabled threat detection tools. These solutions are specifically designed to enhance operational capabilities, strengthen coordination across security agencies, and empower informed decision-making in high-risk environments.

GBB stands ready to partner with both state governments and security agencies that are committed to building safer, smarter, and more resilient communities. We believe that technology must lead the charge in safeguarding lives, and we are proud to serve as a trusted digital ally in Nigeria’s journey toward modern, tech-enabled public safety.

Together, we can bolster early warning systems, expand surveillance coverage, enable faster emergency responses, and ensure that every Nigerian lives in a country where peace and prosperity are not aspirations, but realities.

May the souls of the departed rest in peace. And may strength, healing, and hope return to the hearts and homes of all those affected.

Galaxy Backbone remains aligned with the vision of a secure, digitally connected, and inclusive Nigeria, where every citizen has the freedom to live, work, and dream in peace.


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