Africa (Commonwealth Union) _ Amnesty International has reported the unlawful detention and abuse of dozens of women and young girls by Nigerian military forces, after they had escaped from Boko Haram captivity in the northeast of the country. The new report, released on Monday, highlights the plight of these women, some of whom were detained along with their children for years due to their real or perceived associations with the extremists.
The report is based on 126 interviews, predominantly with survivors, conducted over the 14-year span of Boko Haram’s insurgency. The findings echo longstanding human rights concerns about the Nigerian military, which has previously faced accusations of extrajudicial killings and illegal arrests in what is now one of the world’s longest-running conflicts.
However, Amnesty International notes that the practice of prolonged and unlawful detentions has become less widespread in recent years. Despite this, the Nigerian army has dismissed the report as “unsubstantiated,” maintaining that it has made continuous improvements to its human rights record and holds its personnel accountable.
The conflict with Boko Haram has spilled over Nigeria’s borders, resulting in at least 35,000 deaths and displacing over 2 million people. Women and young girls have been particularly vulnerable, often subjected to forced marriages and sexual abuse while in captivity. Tragically, the conditions in military detention camps in Borno state were described as so dire that some women opted to return to Boko Haram, according to Niki Frederiek, a crisis researcher with Amnesty International.
The report notes that at least 31 survivors were held illegally in military facilities, suggesting that the practice of unlawful detention may have been more widespread than previously known. Many detainees reported being insulted by soldiers, who called them “Boko Haram wives” and blamed them for killings. Several survivors also described experiencing beatings and abysmal detention conditions, amounting to torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
“The Nigerian authorities must support these girls and young women as they fully reintegrate into society,” emphasized Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s regional director for West and Central Africa. This support is crucial for ensuring the survivors can recover from their traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives.
The ongoing conflict and the treatment of those affected by it continue to raise significant human rights concerns, underscoring the need for sustained international attention and intervention to protect vulnerable populations and ensure accountability for abuses.Top of Form
