For allegedly raping Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East, 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 on Tuesday, in Abuja, adding that if indicted the policemen and other security operatives involved in the alleged crime would be dismissed and prosecuted after the 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. Read more
