LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Human Rights Watch says Nigeria’s military should not use the example of Sri Lanka’s defeat of Tamil separatists in its war against Boko Haram.

Nigeria’s Defense Ministry said Sri Lanka’s top military brass made presentations to Nigerian counterparts last week and Nigeria is “seriously considering” using the Sri Lankan model against Boko Haram Islamic extremists who have killed thousands in a 5-year-old insurgency that is spreading.

Human Rights Watch said Monday it is “hard to imagine a worse idea.” It noted that the United Nations finally is investigating both sides in Sri Lanka’s conflict, which ended in 2009 with 40,000 civilians killed in the final months of conflict.

Both countries’ military are accused of abuses that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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