If you know what happens in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
camps in the North East of Nigeria where millions have been displaced by
insurgent of Boko Haram, you will not be able shout out. I mean when you hear of N5 billion meant for
Internally Displaced Persons camps diverted, you will be dazed. Wait till you hear
how food items and materials meant for the camps are diverted to some people’s
home, you will tell me to write about it.
What will you do when you see young girls increasingly forced to become adolescent mothers? Wouldn’t you rather ask questions? Come to think of it, how caregivers are giving out children in the camps as domestic house help to the rich without documentation? That alone will bother me most and shall be the rational for answering you, to clear myself from the wrath that is ominous.
What will you do when you see young girls increasingly forced to become adolescent mothers? Wouldn’t you rather ask questions? Come to think of it, how caregivers are giving out children in the camps as domestic house help to the rich without documentation? That alone will bother me most and shall be the rational for answering you, to clear myself from the wrath that is ominous.
In IDPs camps
Estimated 3 million Nigerians are displaced in the North
East of the country out of insurgency by Boko Haram. Half of this number is in Borno State which
is flash point and insurgency hot spot. 54% of this number are children and are out of school. 53% are female and only 7% are above 60 years old. Of this number, 18 % are in official camps and
other 81% are scattered and unorganized in makeshift accommodation in
communities. Our reflection shall be on the 18% IDPs in official camps in Borno
State, but not forgetting the other 81%.
It is rather unfortunate how people are taking advantage of the vulnerable in our society.
It is rather unfortunate how people are taking advantage of the vulnerable in our society.
If I am to score-mark Boko Haram vis a viz IDPs camps in Nigeria, sincerely
I will score them high and wrong.
Score them high in the sense that they have successfully forced children out of school, closed access to health care to those who need it most, increased diseases, improve hunger, promoted unwanted pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. If you go to camps, you will count hundreds of new born daily, and many of these women were victim of raped, many are impregnated by Boko Haram members, while so many of them are impregnated by those taking care of the camps including the security.
To score them wrong, is that they employ violence in their actions. My point is, nothing is wrong with any one having ideology or being radicalized with a belief, but everything is wrong when you use violence to back a belief.
Score them high in the sense that they have successfully forced children out of school, closed access to health care to those who need it most, increased diseases, improve hunger, promoted unwanted pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. If you go to camps, you will count hundreds of new born daily, and many of these women were victim of raped, many are impregnated by Boko Haram members, while so many of them are impregnated by those taking care of the camps including the security.
To score them wrong, is that they employ violence in their actions. My point is, nothing is wrong with any one having ideology or being radicalized with a belief, but everything is wrong when you use violence to back a belief.
A teenage girl voiced out that she has been
threatened for naming one of the security men in the IDP's camp that severally assaulted her and got her impregnated. Nobody cared, nobody listened nor heard
her wailing just because of vulnerability. The news is that she has just delivered a baby. And she is on search for
the father of the baby. The security personnel alleged to be the father has been transferred out of the camp to unknown location as the story goes. That is the scenario and that is how bad the
situation is. And is just one modus operandi how our security people use in escaping justice.
Rosemary as we shall call her confessed that security men
forcefully came into their camps and hand pick girls at gun point to sleep with
them. Painfully, most of them got their virginity broken by this security men
and sex was horrifying without condom. Rosemary said she can not ascertain her HIV/AIDS
status because of the randomness. These men hand pick girls per night and sleep
with them, without protection. I tend to
believe her story, though there have been rumor of sex abuses for long in IDP
camps, victims couldn’t speak up for fear of being killed. Further more; she
said that most of the care givers deliberately hoard food from girls and women including children to keep hungrier so they can give in for sex demand. That they only offer food to them in exchange for sex. And that, at such point they have no option.
Life in camp is miserable especially if you are a girl. 
Human Right Watch, an international NGO that surveyed young
girls/women at the camps on their rights and infringement got it startling that
there have been sustained sexual abuses in the camps. Whether tha claim can be substantiated or not, I will leave it up to you.
Their July 2016 report alleges high sexual abuses by security agency and those bestowed with authority to look over the camps. The report went on to challenge Nigeria Government for investigation into their allegation. And I hope this allegation will be looked into and not swept under carpet.
Their July 2016 report alleges high sexual abuses by security agency and those bestowed with authority to look over the camps. The report went on to challenge Nigeria Government for investigation into their allegation. And I hope this allegation will be looked into and not swept under carpet.
Government Reaction
Good as celebrated, the security agencies are trying but that does not mean when there are allegation we shouldn't ask for clarity. That does not mean any one is against the security agencies. Yes, I can tell that they have tried and should be celebrated. But ain't we overstretching their use at beck and call?
Nigeria Government has responded to the release of that report, and has called on Inspector General of Police to look into the allegation, by setting up committee of inquiry. So I ask you to look out. Look out for those who will make up the committee? And you will shake your head in laughter. Why? Because the same police that are alleged, are called to set up the inquiry. That inquiry will not go anywhere, when you are a judge over your case, what do you expect? I tell you, this report will be flawed. And Nigeria must be ready to answer questions, questions about new born, and how new born will ask in future for answers. I rest my case.
Nigeria Government has responded to the release of that report, and has called on Inspector General of Police to look into the allegation, by setting up committee of inquiry. So I ask you to look out. Look out for those who will make up the committee? And you will shake your head in laughter. Why? Because the same police that are alleged, are called to set up the inquiry. That inquiry will not go anywhere, when you are a judge over your case, what do you expect? I tell you, this report will be flawed. And Nigeria must be ready to answer questions, questions about new born, and how new born will ask in future for answers. I rest my case.
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