According to a report by People’s Gazette, a former spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Said Agborere Hammed, has portrayed the country’s premier defense institution as a corrupt and criminal organization before the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) in Ottawa, Canada. However, Mr. Hammed maintained that he did not personally participate in crimes against humanity but was coerced into issuing statements that downplayed or suppressed military atrocities against civilians.
Mr. Hammed, a retired major, sought asylum in Canada alongside his wife and three children, citing religious persecution after converting to Christianity. He claimed that between November 15, 1998, and January 24, 2012, he and his family were targeted by extremists in Nigeria, culminating in a fatwa calling for his execution.
During his hearing, Mr. Hammed asserted that he worked under duress as a public relations officer and feared persecution if he left the military. Court documents reviewed by People’s Gazette noted that his testimony was supported by evidence illustrating an environment of fear, injustice, and lack of due process within the Nigerian Army. The RPD ruled that despite serving as a spokesperson, Mr. Hammed’s role did not constitute a significant contribution to the military’s crimes, as he operated under the authority of superior officers.
This case aligns with broader allegations against the Nigerian security forces, which Amnesty International has repeatedly accused of widespread human rights abuses. Amnesty International’s reports have documented systemic violence, excessive force, mass arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings carried out by Nigerian military and security agencies, particularly in the Southeast region. In a 2021 investigation, Amnesty International recorded at least 115 unlawful killings between March and June of that year, with evidence of indiscriminate attacks against civilians in states such as Imo, Anambra, Abia, and Ebonyi. The organization reported instances where innocent individuals were executed or detained arbitrarily, often with no due process or justification.
While Nigerian authorities have justified military operations as necessary responses to armed groups such as the Eastern Security Network (ESN), Amnesty International and other rights organizations have condemned the military’s heavy-handed tactics. Eyewitness accounts and documented evidence indicate that security forces engaged in physical abuse, extortion, and unlawful detentions, echoing the concerns raised by Mr. Hammed in his asylum case.
In Mr. Hammed’s case, Canada’s Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration sought a judicial review of the RPD’s decision to grant him asylum, arguing that his role in issuing pro-military statements significantly contributed to impunity within the Nigerian Army. However, in a January 27, 2020, ruling, Canadian Federal Court Judge Richard Bell dismissed the ministry’s application, ruling that the evidence failed to establish that Mr. Hammed had actively participated in crimes against humanity.
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The case adds to a growing number of Nigerian security operatives seeking asylum abroad. People’s Gazette previously reported on two former police officers, Olushola Popoola and Charles Ukoniwe, who were denied asylum in Canada due to their affiliations with the Nigeria Police Force, an institution with a similarly troubling record of human rights violations.
The Nigerian Army has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Mr. Hammed’s statements to Canadian authorities. However, his case underscores persistent concerns about the conduct of Nigeria’s security agencies, reinforcing Amnesty International’s findings on the military’s long-standing involvement in human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings.
