Victims of the Boko Haram insurgency have banded together to seek the release of their loved ones who are still detained in connection with Boko Haram operations, as well as justice for their wrongful victimization, which has violated their basic human rights.
On Saturday in Maiduguri, the groups that formed the Allamin Foundation held a rally, calling on the state and federal governments, as well as the international community, to intervene and provide justice for their loved ones and families who have been victims of the military’s inhumanity.
During the rally, Hamsatu Allamin, the foundation’s Executive Director, stated that the military has released over 3,000 unjust detainees in the last year, but that thousands more are still being held while true rebels have been released after committing crimes against society.
“We demand for their rights to life to be respected and fundamental human rights restored. They have been kept under detention at military facilities for upwards of seven years now without any information on their whereabouts.
“While the Boko Haram fighters who perpetrated all forms of crime against the Nigerian government live in opulence. As a family, we have suffered untold hardships as a result of their wrongful incarceration.
“Some of them are husbands, breadwinners of their families while many others are sons and daughters of aged parents who’s lives have negatively been affected by the detention,” Hamsatu Allamin disclosed
According to the founder of the organisation, some of the people affected by the military’s action are young wives, women, children and aged parents and that her organisation has been advocating for these victims to be catered for by the government but their plea has fell on deaf ears.
“There are about 1,800 women and girls registered in our foundation who were abducted but released by Boko Haram terrorists, about 6,653 others including minors who were detained but released by the military as well as 3,720 mothers of young boys arrested and still under detention in military facilities, all these people have been rendered hopeless, they don’t have sources of livelihood and no means of income. We have been pleading with the government to come to the aid of these vulnerable people but till now, the government has not responded to our plea.
“We therefore use this occasion of international human rights day to call on all international communities as well as the government of Borno and the Federal government to please provide these people their rights to life,” Hamsatu concluded.
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