Women and children have continued to be the main target of Boko Haram fighters who subject them to rape and sexual violence, Amnesty International (AI), has said.
Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said this was part of the findings of the new AI research.
He said: “The targeted communities have been abandoned by the forces that are supposed to protect them, and are struggling to gain any recognition or response to the horrors they have suffered. The Nigerian authorities must urgently address this issue.
“The International Criminal Court must immediately open a full investigation into the atrocities committed by all sides, and ensure those responsible are held accountable, including for crimes against women and girls.”
He said after repeated displacement, the affected communities have mostly moved to military-controlled areas, but many have yet to receive any humanitarian assistance.
“During raids, usually at night, Boko Haram fighters raped women and girls who were caught at home or trying to flee,” he said.
“Rape and other forms of sexual violence constitute war crimes in the context of the conflict, as defined under the Rome Statute.”
