Boko Haram: Osinbajo meets UN Security Council, seeks review of int'l laws

By The Citizen

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday said the global community needed to review the international legal instruments and conventions on warfare and conflicts.

This, according to him, is necessary in view of the very unconventional and brutal operations of terrorists and insurgents around the world today.

Osinbajo was speaking at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja while meeting with members of the United Nations Security Council led by the United Kingdom's Permanent Representative Ambassador Mathew Rycroft.

'We must, on a global scale look again at how to deal with these new challenges. We need to look at the governing conventions, what type of legal categories, recognition of law we should give them (to the perpetrators of terror and insurgents). We need to re-examine how to deal with these individuals according to law,' he said.

He said the Federal Government would progressively review the rules of engagement of the military and the entire nation's security system as well as give cognizance to human rights issues.

He assured that the Social Investment Programmes of the government would cater to the needs of the northeast affected by the insurgency.

'We are already disbursing the cash transfers in some IDP camps and host communities,' the acting president stated.

Osinbajo sought the support of the global community on humanitarian which he described as a massive challenge for the Federal Government.

The acting president told his visitors that Nigeria was in the process of passing the Northeast Development Commission Bill.

Earlier, Rycroft had commended the Nigerian government for its handling of the humanitarian challenge in the northeast.

He also advocated a long term developmental outlook in the northeast and stressed the issues of good governance, human rights, women's participation, economic revival, education and jobs.