Young women and girls who survived Boko Haram’s captivity have suffered further abuse at the hands of Nigerian military authorities, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Speaking in Maiduguri, Isa Sanusi, the group’s Country Director, recounted the harrowing experiences of survivors. “The Boko Haram use these young girls, they called them wives, and forcefully married them, subjected into many years of domestic slavery, sexual violence and forced pregnancy,” he said.
Sanusi noted that many survivors face stigma and rejection upon returning to their communities, where they are labelled as “Boko Haram wives.” For some, the ordeal worsened under military custody, with reports of detention, neglect, and rape.
“These girls have been sending one clear message, during our research, that they want to rebuild their lives,” Sanusi said. He added, “The Nigerian government has largely failed to address their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration.”
Calling for action, Sunusi urged the government to do the “right thing” by investigating and holding those responsible for these “atrocities” accountable.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
