The report said this led to the killing, injuring and displacement of thousands of civilians across the country by Boko Haram insurgents, bandits, Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), unknown gunmen and even security officers.
Amnesty International has stated in its 2022 report that President Muhammadu Buhari-led government failed to protect Nigerians from armed terror groups.
The report said this led to the killing, injuring and displacement of thousands of civilians across the country by Boko Haram insurgents, bandits, Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), unknown gunmen and even security officers.
The report also noted that the Nigerian government consistently failed to punish and hold security officials accountable for crimes committed against civilians, adding that Nigerian security forces consistently violated human rights in the context of military operations.
According to Amnesty International, Boko Haram, ISWAP and unknown gunmen reportedly killed at least 6,907 people, abducted 6,157 and forcibly internally displaced at least 2,000 within the period under review.
It stated that there are still more than 2.4 million internally displaced people in the Northeastern region of the country, noting that in an attempt to resettle all internally displaced people living in Maiduguri, the Borno state government closed four camps in July 2022 and resettled 11,000 households but most of the resettled people lack sufficient food and access to basic amenities.
The report said, “Attacks by Boko Haram, which had been predominantly in the north-east, spread to some states in north-central and north-western Nigeria during the year. Attacks by Boko Haram directed against civilians, such as those targeting villagers, farming communities and highway and train passengers, amounted to war crimes.
“Of the hundreds of schoolchildren abducted by Boko Haram in previous years, 110 girls remained in captivity at the end of the year.”
On the operation of Nigeria’s security officials and the government’s failure to hold them accountable for crimes against civilians, the Amnesty International report stated, “Security forces consistently violated human rights in the context of military operations conducted against Boko Haram in north-eastern Nigeria.
“In December, Reuters reported that the Nigerian military had conducted a secret forced abortion programme in the north-east since 2013, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies without the consent or prior knowledge of the women and girls concerned, which could amount to war crimes and a crime against humanity.
“The Nigerian authorities consistently failed to hold security officials accountable for crimes committed against civilians.”
The report further noted that Nigerian security officials engaged in several torture and ill-treatments, adding that security forces used excessive force to disperse peaceful protests and assemblies.
It said, “Nigerian security forces killed at least 122 people in response to increasing violence and killings of their officers in south-eastern Nigeria. On 17 July, at least seven people were extrajudicially executed by state-sponsored Ebubeagu paramilitary agents in the town of Awo-Omamma, Imo State.”
“Torture and other ill-treatment remained pervasive within the criminal justice system. At least 21 #EndSARS protesters were tortured while in detention.
“At the Criminal Investigation Department, Umuahia, and in other police facilities, police officers tortured the arrested protesters by tying their hands to iron bars and flogging their ankles with rods. Victims reported to Amnesty International that at least two protesters were tortured to death.” The report added.