Photo: Vanguard

Bombing continues as citizens advocate for talks with Boko Haram

Mr Daniel Bekele, Africa Director, Human Rights Watch (HRW), an International Human Rights Group, said that 815 Nigerians were killed between Jan. and Aug. by the Boko Haram sect.

Bekele said this on Thursday in a report entitled: "Spiraling Violence: Boko Haram Attacks and Security Force Abuses in Nigeria," which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Similarly, Bekele said 211 police officers have also been killed by the sect since the insurgency began.

"In the first nine months of 2012 alone, more than 815 people died in some 275 suspected attacks by the group.

"This is more than the figure recorded in 2010 and 2011 combined, " he said.

Bekele said that since 2009, hundreds of attacks by the sect have left more than 1,500 people dead, according to media reports monitored by his group.

He called on the Nigerian government to take urgent measures to address the alleged human rights abuses.

The Director said that government has a responsibility to protect its citizens from violence, but also to respect international human rights law.

"Instead of abusive tactics that only add to the toll, the authorities should prosecute without delay those responsible for such serious crimes.

"The unlawful killing by both Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces only grows worse; both sides need to halt this downward spiral, ", Bekele said.

Bekele urged the Islamic sect to immediately cease fire against Nigerians, which had resulted in wanton destruction of lives and property. NAN