Nigerian soldier Major Atobatele emerges as top student on LLM human rights course at University of Lancaster

NIGERIAN soldier Major Ajibade Atobatele emerged as the top student in his LLM law class at University of Lancaster in the UK bagging the Best Dissertation Award of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences in the process.

 

Major Atobatele of the Directorate of Army Legal Services, finished his degree with a distinction in International Human Rights and Terrorism Law. Recognising his excellence, the director of post-graduate programmes at the Lancaster University Law School Professor Sigrun Skogly, wrote to the Nigerian high commission in London, saying Major Atobatele excelled in a rare form.

 

In addition, the law school further confirmed that Major Atobatele had been offered a doctorate degree admission in order to further his research on legal issues surrounding the war against insurgency in Nigeria. Having completed his LLM course in International Human Rights and Terrorism Law, he will now start his PhD programme during the 2019/20 academic session.

 

Major Atobatele's excellence is seen as something that could help reverse the growing trend of human rights abuses within the Nigerian military. Of late, the Nigerian Army has been accused of all sorts of human rights abuses during the war against terror, summarily executing Boko Haram suspects.

 

Comrade Olayinka Folarin, the general secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, expressed confidence that allowing military officers to go for such courses in human rights and returning to apply the knowledge acquired, regarding the observance of the rules of engagement, would ultimately help to regulate the conduct of troops during operations. He added that the efforts by the Nigerian Army to improve respect for human rights of persons during their operations would also result in raising the rating of the country’s record in the global arena.

 

He added: “I believe it will regulate their conduct as far as human rights is concerned in the fight against terrorism. It is a welcome development as it will enhance their performance and their conduct.

 

"We believe that by having their men studying such courses and coming back to apply it, it would go a long way in building confidence in the Nigerian military because everyone should be accorded his or her human rights. We must know that human right is the cornerstone of any professional practice."

 

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