Fatima Bukari, one of the alleged
victims of rape by soldiers and Civilian Joint TaskForce (CJTF), has revealed
the ordeal they have had to endure in exchange for food in the North-East.
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| file photo |
Bukari said apart from the fact
that her husband was beaten and taken away on the pretext that he was a Boko
Haram member, they have had to endure repeated rape, in exchange for food,
resulting in them having children without fathers.
Both women spoke at the official
presentation of the AI report in Abuja, yesterday.
Fatima, who spoke through an
interpreter, Hajiya Hamsatu Allamin, a gender activist and human rights
defender, said:
“We are all IDPs. We were in our
state, peacefully in our community but gradually we started facing certain kind
of challenges. So when we were rescued, we were the brought into Bama with our
men. We were told that we were going to be taken to the authorities for safety.
“Ever since we came into the Bama
prison area, the men were subjected to all kinds of humiliations, they were
beaten every now and then. They kept beating our men and saying we were all
Boko Haram members and we said we were not. For example, my husband was being
beaten by four members of the Civilian JTF and soldier.
“In fact they kept beating him
for four days. After four days, we were evacuated and then brought to the
General Hospital Camp. So, before separating us, they brought the men out,
washed them up and then blindfolded them and transported them to Maiduguri,
before taking us to Bama Camp. Before evacuating us, they told us that “your
husbands have been taken to Maiduguri and you also will be taken.
“That was how we were taken
dumped at Gewa General Hospital Camp.
“So, when we were brought to the
General Hospital Camp, there was no food nor water and we had been separated
from our husbands. The soldiers and the civilian JTF will come with their food
and give to whoever they choose to give; in fact they have spoilt many of our
women.
“The soldier who led the beating
and humiliation of my husband, followed me to the camp with plenty of food and
asked for sex and when I asked him ‘haven’t you seen my husband,’ he replied;
‘has anyone who has been taken to the barrack ever come back?’
“As I am speaking to you, there
are many women like me who we are left in Bama, some of them have become
pregnant, some have delivered without fathers.
“Their children are fathered by
the soldiers and civilian JTF. So, it is getting to three years, we are not in
Maiduguri, nothing has happened except hardship.”
In her response, Hajiya Allamin,
said rather deny the report, Nigerian authorities must act and bring
perpetrators to book.
She added that there are 1,600 of
such women who have been registered and were willing to talk.
“The military denying the report
will not help the situation. These are real women speaking about their ordeals.
We have registered 1,600 of this category of women, they are there and can
testify.
“So, denial will not help us. Why can’t we
dialogue, speak out so that the impunity could be addressed?” She queried.
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