Human Rights Concerns: Amnesty International accuses Nigerian Army of detaining Boko Haram escapees

Amnesty International has raised serious allegations against the Nigerian military, claiming that girls and young women who have escaped Boko Haram captivity are being unlawfully detained by the army. These accusations stem from 126 interviews conducted between 2019 and 2024 with female former captives. The report highlights that 31 of these individuals were detained in military barracks for periods ranging from several days to almost four years between 2015 and mid-2023, primarily due to their perceived association with Boko Haram.

Boko Haram, notorious for its brutal tactics, has waged a violent insurgency in northeastern Nigeria, resulting in the deaths of over 35,000 people, according to U.N. estimates. The group is infamous for its acts of torture, rape, forced marriages, and kidnappings, including the high-profile abduction of 300 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014. Many of these abducted girls have spent years with Boko Haram fighters, with some managing to escape.

Despite these escapes, Amnesty International's regional director for West and Central Africa, Samira Daoud, criticizes the Nigerian government for failing to protect and support these survivors adequately. In response, Defence spokesperson Major General Edward Buba asserted that the military respects human rights and adheres to humanitarian law, operating within the bounds of international armed conflict regulations.

The Nigerian military has been engaged in a counteroffensive against Boko Haram, which has faced criticism for its severe tactics. A Reuters investigation last year uncovered that the military conducted a covert mass abortion program as part of its efforts against the insurgent group.