Boko Haram: Nigerian officials 'sexually abusing' victims

 

 Women and girls in several camps in the Nigerian town of Maiduguri are being sexually abused by officials, a rights group says.

 Human Rights Watch (HRW) said it had spoken to 43 victims who had been raped or sexually exploited by vigilante groups and security officials.
The president has ordered an investigation into the alleged abuses.
 Islamist militant group Boko Haram's insurgency has left 20,000 people dead and more than two million displaced.
 Many of those forced from their homes have fled to camps around the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.
However, the HRW report says some of them have suffered abuse in those camps.
 Some said they had been coerced into sex and abandoned when they became pregnant.
"It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them," said HRW's Mausi Segun.
 The group said irregular supplies of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials in internally displaced camps in Maiduguri had made women and girls - many of whom are widows and unaccompanied orphans - more vulnerable.
  In response to the report, President Muhammadu Buhari said he was "worried and shocked" and vowed to protect those in the camps.
He ordered the police and state governors to investigate.
Hundreds of refugees, including children, starved to death in one of the camps earlier this year, causing a "catastrophic humanitarian emergency", according to medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres.

'Drugged and raped'

  Four people told HRW they had been drugged and raped; 37 others said they had been coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.
 A 16-year-old girl who fled a brutal Boko Haram attack on Baga in northern Borno in January 2015 said she had been drugged and raped by a vigilante in charge of distributing aid in the camp.
 "He would bring me food items like rice and spaghetti so I believed he really wanted to marry me," the girl said.
 "But he was also asking me for sex. I always told him I was too small [young]. The day he raped me, he offered me a drink in a cup. As soon as I drank it, I slept off.
 "I knew something was wrong when I woke up. I was in pain and blood was coming out of my private part.  I did not tell anyone because I was afraid," she recounted.
She said she became pregnant but her attacker fled the camp when he heard she had delivered.
Source:bbc

Army hands over 348 cleared Boko Haram suspects to Shettima for rehabilitation and reintegration (photos)

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima on Saturday, October 1st, received 348 Boko Haram suspects who were cleared by the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army for onward rehabilitation and reintegration with their families.

 

The governor congratulated the people of the state and the nation for its 56th Independence Anniversary and thanked for peace and harmony.

 

"In this auspicious day of our 56th independence Anniversary of our nation, it is my singular honor and privilege to congratulate the good people of Borno and thank the God Almighty for giving us this opportunity to celebrate this occasion in peace and harmony," said Shettima. 

"Two years ago, nobody will have thought we can gather in an atmosphere of tranquility, peace and serenity of mind for us to celebrate this occasion. We want to register our profound gratitude to the Nigerian Army and all other security agencies that played active roles in ensuring of restoration of peace in our state. It is gratifying to note that the last back shade of the insurgents have been finally liberated and we want to thank the Nigerian Army for handing over 348 people to us. It is noteworthy that this is fifth time the Nigerian Army is releasing such people to us. This bears testimony to the fact that the Nigerian Army sticktly adheres to rule of law, equity, justice and fairness. 

"Be rest assured that these released suspect will be adequately rehabilitated and resettled with their families and for the younger one who are under the ages of 5-10, we should immediately explore a means of taking them to our rehabilitation facility. Once again I will like to congratulate all Nigerians on our 56th independencenAnniversary and on behalf of all people of Borno state I wish to thank all security agencies in the state for the prominent roles they have played in clearing scourge of insurgents," Shettima further stated.

Earlier in his welcome speech, the acting GOC of the 7th Division Brig. Gen. Victor Ezugwu said the overall goal of the releasing is for the sake of doing to innocent Nigerian.

"This event is the fifth of such which the 7 Division has conducted since assumption of this command and the overall goal is that the just and innocent citizens of Nigeria do not suffer injustice," said Ezugwu. 

"There are some other suspects who are not released today because they committed crimes that are civil in nature and as such, would be handed over to the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services for further action. Amongst them are also 6 foreigners who illegally entered Nigeria. They consist of 4 Cameroonians, one Chadian and one Jamaican and would be handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for deportation.  

"I wish to use this opportunity to thank the Borno state government under the able and dynamic leadership of Hon. Kashim Shettima for giving political impetus to activities of the military and other security agencies in the state," Ezugwu said.

More photos below...

SOURCE: www.naijacop.com

Escaped Chibok girl: I miss my Boko Haram husband

Can you Imagine escaped Chibok girl Amina Ali Nkeki says she misses her Boko Haram fighter husband and is still thinking about him three months after escaping the millitant's camp

Amina Ali, who was held hostage by the terrorist group for more than two years, says she was married off a year into her ordeal and later had a baby girl, Safiya.

The couple and their daughter were found on the outskirts of Nigeria's Sambisa Forest in May. She says they fled the camp by themselves and were not rescued by the Nigerian military, contrary to reports.

Her husband, identified as Mohammed Hayatu at the time of their escape, told a witness that he too had been kidnapped by Boko Haram.

He was placed in military detention for interrogation by Nigeria's joint intelligence center.

Amina Ali was found with a suspected Boko Haram terrorist named Mohammed Hayatu.

Amina Ali says she has no idea where he is now and is keen to be reunited with him.

"I'm not comfortable with the way I'm being kept from him," the painfully shy 21-year-old told CNN, speaking to the media for the first time at an undisclosed location in Abuja Tuesday.

Addressing the father of her child directly, she says: "I want you to know that I'm still thinking about you, and just because we are separated doesn't mean I have forgotten about you.