Lagos, Nigeria - A Nigerian NGO has urged the country's government to investigate allegations of acts of violence, including raping of women and burning of houses, levelled against the troops deployed to the country's northern state of Borno to curtail the activities of the Islamic sect Boko Haram. In a statement made available to PANA here, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) asked the government to constitute a panel to investigate the allegations.

“We assert clearly, categorically and unequivocally that the killing of innocent civilians is arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional. We affirm that raping women during military operations is a crime against humanity,” the NGO said.

'We call for investigations into the operations of the military in the city with a view to ascertaining the extent of criminality and culpability or otherwise of the security agencies during their anti-Boko Haram operation,’’ it added.

In addition to bringing the perpetrators of the attack to book, MURIC wants the international community, particularly the United Nations, to prevail on the Nigerian authorities to order the withdrawal of troops before the country descends into the abyss of humanitarian disaster.

Since the deployments of the troops to the state capital, Maiduguri, and nearby towns, there have been reports of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and torture of innocent people.

Thousands of indigenes and non-indigenes have been fleeing the city in droves, while many state governments have evacuated their citizens.

Worried by the situation, a committee of elders from Borno State first has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw the troops. Members of the National Assembly from the state, at a press conference on Sunday, also echoed the call.

MURIC has also joined the call for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the troops, saying: 'By unleashing marauding and undisciplined soldiers on innocent civilians at a time when it was talking of the possibility of dialogue, the Federal Government of Nigeria is also guilty of double speaking, belligerence and unnecessary use of force. We also demand compensation for innocent citizens whose houses and vehicles were destroyed by the rampaging soldiers.'

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a series of explosions that has left an estimated 700 dead, mostly in northern Nigeria.

Pana 18/07/2011