As the quality of life continues to deteriorate amongst internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the north-east part of Nigeria, revelations coming up from the camps show that uniformed officers sent to protect them are actually the ones spare heading the orgy of sexual assaults against female IDPs. For allegedly raping Internally
Displaced Persons, three soldiers, two policemen and a
prison official have been arrested.
Arrested alongside the soldiers and
policemen for the same offence were one prison official, a member of
staff, Borno Ministry of Agriculture and two members of the Civilian
Joint Task Force, Borno State.
The officials were accused of involving in sexual exploitation and abuse of IDPs in the North-East.
The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, disclosed this yesterday, in Abuja, adding that if indicted the
policemen and other security operatives involved in the alleged crime
would be dismissed and prosecuted after investigation.
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Human
Rights Watch, had in its report accused camp officials, vigilance
groups, soldiers and policemen of engaging in sexual harassment of women
and teenagers in IDP camps in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
A few of the victims told Human Rights
Watch that they were drugged and raped while 37 were coerced into sex
through false marriage promises, material and financial assistance.
Shocked by the allegations, President
Muhammadu Buhari directed the IG and the state governments to carry out a
thorough investigation into the alleged incidents.
But responding to questions shortly
before the commencement of his monthly conference with senior police
officers in Abuja, the IG said the police would liaise with the Army and
the Air Force to make their indicted officials available for
interrogation.
He said, “From the findings so far, we
have succeeded in our investigation. A number of suspects have been
arrested and they include two policemen, three army officers, one prison
official; one Air Force officer, an employee of the Borno State
Ministry of Agriculture and two members of the Civilian JTF.”
Idris stated that the force had put in
mechanisms, including the deployment of female police officers to IDP
camps in order to check recurrence.
