Features
The Media And Protection Of Armed Conflict Victims
WHAT IS ARMED CONFLICT?
Nearly all of us in this room could remember what happened on Friday, August 26, 2011 at the UN Building in Abuja. For those who don’t remember, at about 11am, a car laden with explosives broke through two security barriers and rammed into the reception area of the UN House in Abuja’s diplomatic zone.
The bomb instantly brought down the lower floors of the building housing no fewer than 400 staff of the global body. Boko Haram, which is ranked one of the deadliest terror group in the world claimed responsibility for the attack.
In the Niger Delta, militants have ravaged several communities, destroyed oil facilities worth billions of naira and further pollute the environment in the oil-rich region. In the North-central zone, Fulani herdsmen have wreaked havoc, killed thousands and displaced several communities and towns. In the South-east, Nigerian troops turned their guns on peaceful members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as part of measures to suppress their secessionist campaign. The list goes on and on.
These are all cases of armed conflicts which have serious ramifications on people and communities.
VICTIMS OF ARMED CONFLICTS
During the Boko Haram attack on the UN House, 21 persons were killed and 73 others were wounded. Since it started its bloody campaign, the group is said to have killed over 20,000 and displaced no fewer than two million people from Nigeria’s North-east zone. In Benue State alone, Fulani herdsmen are said to have murdered an estimated 2,000 people, displaced millions and occupied 14 out of the 23 local government areas in the state. It is difficult to know the total number of people the group has killed in the entire North-central zone. The same applies to the number of IPOB supporters killed by Nigerian troops in the South-east.
Those who were killed and wounded, those whose properties were destroyed or displaced, those whose relations lost their lives or lost properties or displaced or their environment damaged during such conflicts and violence are victims.
Victims of armed conflicts, therefore, are individuals, groups and communities, who have suffered harm ranging from physical, emotional, economic and even the violation of one or more of their fundamental rights. In considering the concept of “victims of armed conflicts,” we must note that they are not only individuals who were direct targets of rights violations but also include family members and groups affected by such violations.
The UN in 2006 gave vent to this when it adopted the definition of “victims” of violations of human rights and humanitarian law as… persons who, individually and collectively, suffered harm, including physical or mental injury, emotional suffering, economic loss or substantial impairment of their fundamental rights through acts or omission that constitute gross violations of international human rights law, or serious violations of international humanitarian law. Where appropriate and in accordance with domestic law, the term “victim” also includes the immediate family or dependents of the direct victim and persons who have suffered harm in intervening to assist victims in distress or to prevent victimisation.
PROTECTION OF VICTIMS’ RIGHTS
Protection of victims of armed conflicts involves all activities aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights of individuals and people in accordance with the letter and spirit of the relevant laws, viz; human rights law, international humanitarian law and refugee law.
Aid agencies like the ICRC, NRCS, The Red Crescent, Doctors Without Borders as well as UN Peace Keepers, AU Peace keeping Forces and those deployed by ECOWAS etc., have played significant roles in protecting the rights and providing scour for people caught up in armed conflicts and violence.
FACT: Journalists are ethically bound to protect victims of violence and report about conflicts in ways that do not jeopardize their safety, violate their rights and or blame them for their afflictions.
REALITY: Unfortunately, and sometimes ignorantly, the media, journalists and public commentators have turned their pens against people exposed to extreme brutality and pain. How does this happen:
By publishing disparaging and humiliating reports about men, women and children, who out of no fault of theirs, are trapped in theatres of armed conflicts and wars;
By publishing videos, photographs and offering lurid descriptions that tend to further humiliate, torture and disparage victims of armed conflicts;
By exposing (giving vivid description) of the movement and or where victims of armed conflicts are taking refuge especially when they do not have any form of protection and are prone to attack by the aggressors;
By presenting false accounts of armed conflicts thereby tilting public opinion and policy against victims
By presenting outright false accounts and reports that are suggestive of meddlesomeness of aid agencies in conflicts.
WHAT THE MEDIA CAN DO
Awareness creation – The media has the responsibility to raise awareness, foster respect for the rights and dignity of victims of armed conflicts, combat stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices. Such reportage must be designed to make the public aware of the rights and capabilities of victims of armed conflicts as well as promote positive perception, promote their capabilities, skills and vocational abilities. It also involves respectful portrayals in report and commentaries. Adopting a human rights-based reportage approach and focusing on combating obstacles to equal opportunities to all would significantly lead to a more inclusive, productive and less-violent society.
Justice advocacy – The media must report correctly, factually and responsibly, acts of violations of human rights by parties to armed conflicts with a view to ultimately bringing the perpetrators to justice. This can be done through investigative reports detailing abuses, errors of omission and commission by perpetrators of conflicts, state parties and agencies etc.
Attraction of humanitarian support -The media can through special reports and analysis provide strong basis to mobilise and deploy humanitarian personnel so victims of armed conflicts can have access to services they need for recovery and enjoyment of their rights;
Demand for reparation – The media, through their reports and analysis, should push for reparation for injury and loss caused by the commission of internationally wrongful act. Reparation in this case may include restitution, compensation, satisfaction, rehabilitation and guarantees of non-repetition. Relevant international and domestic laws provide for reparation for victims of armed conflicts. But victims increasingly find it difficult to access mechanisms which can award such reparations. The media can help by drawing the attention of government and aid agencies to the rights of the victims to be compensated for their losses during violent and armed conflicts.
Demand for rehabilitation – The media must hold government responsible for providing effective and appropriate rehabilitation for the physical and psychological injuries suffered by victims of violent and armed conflicts. Such rehabilitation should enable the beneficiaries, including physically challenged persons; attain and maintain maximum independence, physical, metal, social and vocational abilities to participate fully in all aspects of life.
Demand for health services -The media must hold the government responsible for providing healthcare services during times of armed conflicts and ensure medical personnel and infrastructure are not targeted by parties to the conflict.
Protection of women and children – Women and children have always been the hardest hit during violent and armed conflicts. History is replete with cases of grave abuses of these highly vulnerable group. A record 1.1 million children were massacred during the Holocaust, thousands of women and children died during the Nigerian Civil War and during the Rwandan genocide. Most of the victims who survive armed conflicts live with the terrifying images of rape, torture and killings the witnessed. More so, women are faced with the difficult task of keeping their families together after the conflicts and providing food, clothing and shelter for them. The media has a strong responsibility to bring the plight of such women and children to the attention of state actors and the public with a view to ensure they get the necessary assistance including age-sensitive victim assistance, disability assistance, legal protection, access to health and rehabilitation, additional care and protection for pregnant women and early motherhood, protection from, and prosecution of sexual and gender based violence.
Protection of people with disabilities – The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is said to be the governing framework for the achievement of the rights of all victims of armed conflicts, who are also persons with disabilities. The media should help break all societal barriers in ensuring access to opportunities for the enjoyment of human rights and successful living.
HOW THEY CAN DO THESE
Agenda setting and status conferral – Based on Paul Lazarsfeld and Robert Merton’s model, the media can effectively set the agenda of public discussion around the rights of victims of armed conflicts in the country. Currently, the Nigerian military is fighting Boko Haram in the North-east and the Niger Delta militants in the oil-rich South-south, in situations that have led to killings and displacement of communities.
While the media have largely been focusing attention on the military operation, very little have been done in the reportage of the plight of the victims of those skirmishes. We are again reminded today to do more to bring the plight of victims of armed conflicts in the country to the forefront of media discourse.
Persistent reportage – There is a saying, “Nothing good comes easy.” Getting the public an indeed relevant state actors to recognize and take action to protect the rights and dignity of victims of armed conflicts will never be an easy task but persistence can pay in the long run. The media must constantly and deliberately report acts of human rights violations, especially those of people caught in theaters of armed conflicts and wars. These could take the form of investigations, special reports, commentaries, analyses, cartoons, documentaries.
Knowledge of relevant national and international laws relating to victims of armed conflicts and wars – Only very few journalists know and fully understand the rights of individuals and people caught up in armed conflicts as prescribed in the Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law and the Refugee Law. A good knowledge of laws and international treaties safeguarding the rights of victims of armed conflicts would enable journalists report about issues affecting them and ensure they have justice and are treated with dignity. To understand the rights of victims of armed conflicts, journalists and their editors must know the following:
.Fundamental Human Rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended
.African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights
.International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
.Universal Declaration on Human Rights
.International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
.International Criminal Law
.The Refugee Law
Isine, a visiting Professor to the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and an Editor with Premium Times Newspaper, presented this paper at a two-day workshop for journalists in Abuja organised by ICRC and NRCS, November 22-23, 2016.
Ibanga Isine
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku
