A coalition of human rights lawyers has filed a petition at the United Nations Human Rights Commission against President Muhammadu Buhari and a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai over the illegal detention of Lance Corporal Idakpini Martins and 86 other Nigerian soldiers at 8 Division Nigerian Army, Sokoto.
In the petition which submitted on Wednesday, the petitioners told the UNHRC based in Geneva, Switzerland, that the 87 soldiers had been held for over two years in unimaginable deplorable conditions at a place not fit for human habitation.
According to the petition, some of affected soldiers have lost their sight as a result of their incarceration while some have developed pile and whooping cough.
The petitioners noted that 87 detainees in Sokoto are entitled to N10,000 each per day, amounting to N300,000 per month, and N3.6 million per year. They noted that the money is not, however, given to the detainees, while accusing top military officers of using the inmates to make money.
The petition partly read, “We the National Lawyers Coalition For Peter Obi have submitted a petition with the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva Switzerland
“This is in respect of the illegal detention of Lance Corporal Idakpini Martins and 86 other soldiers at a military barrack in Sokoto State, Nigeria.
“These soldiers have been held for over two years in unimaginable deplorable conditions at a place not fit for human habitation. Some of them have lost the use of one or both of their eyes as a result, some have developed pile, while some are coughing non-stop.
“There is a huge profit attached to the number of detainees, therefore inmates have become commercial commodities for the senior military officers.
