UN Urges Nigeria to Restore Law, Order, Probe Mass Killings
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The United Nations called Nigeria on Tuesday to restore law and order in the northeast and investigate "mass killings" of civilians blamed on Boko Haram insurgents.
Nigeria's military said on Monday that at least 150 people had been killed in clashes with militants in the northeastern town of Baga, but the UN human rights office noted that there were "wildly differing" accounts with some reports putting the toll this year at 2,000.
"While the exact details remain unclear, what appears fairly certain is that mass killings and mass forced displacement have occurred," UN human rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a news briefing in Geneva.
"We urge the government to act swiftly to restore law and order while ensuring that security operations are conducted in line with international law and full respect for human rights."
Nigeria's military is battling to reclaim Baga from the militants, who want to establish a state in northern Nigeria, Reuters reported.
Boko Haram has killed thousands in a five-year rebellion which is seen as the biggest security threat to Africa's top oil producer and is a headache for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of what is likely to be a closely fought vote on Feb. 14.
