Nigeria’s Defense Chief Defends Military Conduct.

In a rare press briefing in Abuja on August 14, 2025, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, defended the military’s conduct in counterinsurgency operations, rejecting accusations of excessive force and civilian casualties.

However, an updated Amnesty International report, *A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria*, directly contradicts Musa’s claims, documenting over 33,000 Biafran deaths since January 2021 and accusing the Nigerian military of war crimes and violations of rules of engagement in the South-East. Activist Apm Oge Nkere, leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), has seized on the report to accuse President Bola Tinubu of orchestrating a genocide against Biafrans.

General Musa’s Defense of Military Operations

General Musa asserted that the Nigerian military prioritizes civilian safety, often aborting operations to avoid civilian harm, even at the cost of tactical advantages. He claimed that the military is unfairly criticized for atrocities, stating, “We are made to look as if we are committing the worst atrocities ever, but I can assure you that we are doing the best we can. We respect human rights and value civilian lives.” Musa acknowledged civilian casualties from airstrikes in the northwest, attributing them to mistakes while targeting armed gangs, and promised investigations into such incidents. He also called for a review of international laws, arguing that they unfairly restrict state forces while allowing non-state actors, whom he described as killing “at will,” to operate unchecked.

Musa highlighted ongoing training in human rights and international humanitarian law for military personnel, both locally and abroad, as evidence of the military’s commitment to ethical conduct. He expressed frustration that Nigeria’s armed forces are judged by higher standards than those of developed nations, particularly given the challenges of combating informal armed groups, such as Islamist insurgents and criminal gangs, who blend into civilian populations.

Amnesty International’s Counterpoint: Evidence of Military Abuses

The Amnesty International report, covering January 2021 to August 2025, paints a starkly different picture, accusing the Nigerian military of systemic violations of rules of engagement in the South-East. The report documents over 33,000 Biafran deaths, a catastrophic escalation from the 1,844 deaths reported between January 2021 and June 2023. It details military operations, including *Operation Python Dance* (2016, 2017) and *Operation Udo Ka* (2023), involving arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, and destruction of homes, primarily targeting suspected supporters of BRGIE. Military airstrikes and reprisal attacks have devastated communities, with Amnesty classifying these acts as war crimes and potential crimes against humanity.

The report draws parallels with military abuses in North-East Nigeria against Boko Haram, where over 20,000 arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings were recorded, underscoring a pattern of impunity. Contrary to Musa’s claims of prioritizing civilian safety, Amnesty cites survivor testimonies and evidence of excessive force, particularly against Biafran civilians, as proof of disregard for international humanitarian law. The report also accuses the state-backed Ebube Agu paramilitary, established by South-East governors in April 2021, of arbitrary arrests, torture, unlawful killings, extortion, and property destruction, further contributing to the region’s crisis.

BLA’s Role and Adherence to Rules of Engagement

The Amnesty report notes the involvement of the Biafra Liberation Army (BLA), BRGIE’s militant wing, in the South-East conflict but frames its actions as a defensive response to an ongoing war of attrition aimed at liberating Biafrans from what Nkere calls a state-sponsored genocide. Unlike the Nigerian military, the BLA is described as adhering to rules of engagement, targeting security forces in defense of Biafran communities rather than civilians. The report acknowledges BRGIE’s sit-at-home order, enforced since August 9, 2021, which has disrupted freedom of movement, education, and economic activity, costing the South-East an estimated N7.6 trillion. However, Nkere defends these measures as necessary to resist systemic oppression and draw global attention to the Biafran cause.

Broader Implications and Call for Accountability

The stark contrast between General Musa’s claims and Amnesty’s findings underscores a crisis of credibility for Nigeria’s military. While Musa insists on the military’s restraint and training, Amnesty’s evidence of 33,000 deaths and systemic abuses suggests a failure to adhere to international standards. The report also highlights cult-related violence in Anambra towns like Obosi, Awka, Onitsha, Ogidi, and Umuoji, and grazing disputes in Enugu and Ebonyi, which complicate the region’s “hybrid of criminal and political violence.”

Amnesty International calls for independent investigations into war crimes, prosecution of perpetrators, and reparations for victims, urging the government to address the root causes of the South-East crisis—political marginalization, economic exclusion, and impunity. Nkere, meanwhile, demands international recognition of Biafra’s right to self-determination, arguing that Western support for Nigeria’s unity perpetuates the genocide.

General Musa’s defense of the military’s conduct is directly undermined by Amnesty International’s detailed evidence of war crimes and genocide in the South-East. The reported 33,000 Biafran deaths highlight the urgent need for accountability and reform. While the BLA’s actions are framed as a defensive response to state violence, the Nigerian military’s violations of rules of engagement and Ebube Agu’s abuses fuel a cycle of bloodshed.

Without transparent investigations, prosecution of perpetrators, and a commitment to addressing Biafran grievances, Nigeria risks perpetuating a humanitarian catastrophe that threatens both the South-East and regional stability.