The hostel is organized, clean and gives value for money. Read about our approach to external linking. After some minutes, maybe 30 minutes, I saw the men come out of the house. Human Rights Watch also interviewed 2 victims and a witness to human rights violations in the region by Cameroonian soldiers. All rights reserved. Those who carried out burials said that Boko Haram killed up to 80 civilians, the majority of them fishermen. The 2014 internal Message to Fulanis video in which the group paid thanks to the state of Katsina in northern Nigeria and other unspecified locations highlights that the group has aimed to expand their influence throughout Nigeria. It is likely the group covertly got paid for the release of the girls, got prisoners released in exchange, or kidnapped and released them solely for shock value and propaganda. Understanding the rise of Boko Haram. I usually do my night guard duty twice a week, a 39-year-old mechanic said. Most of them had visible stab wounds. One of the witnesses said: I was a few meters away from the scene. The lawane was hit in the head and died on the spot. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Several made statements to camera. Following the January 8 attack, hundreds of people fled Mozogo to nearby villages and towns, including Koza, Mokolo, and Touboro. This correlates with their wider strategy of exploiting poverty and pre-existing issues within local government, to further their cause. ABUJA, Nigeria. Chibok schoolgirl freed in Nigeria seven years after Boko Haram kidnap, governor says, More than 160 passengers still missing from train attacked in Nigeria, Isis-linked fighters in Nigeria cannot claim reward for Boko Haram leader, says US, Boko Haram leader tried to kill himself during clash with rivals, officials claim, Boko Haram video claims to show abducted Nigerian schoolboys, Boko Haram claims responsibility for kidnapping hundreds of boys in Nigeria, Boko Haram's deadly trail: Nigeria's landmine crisis - in pictures, Boko Haram kill dozens of farm workers in Nigeria, Boko Haram kills 92 Chadian soldiers in seven-hour attack, died in an attack in Burkina Faso last week, abduction of 300 female students from a college in 2014. The Boko Haram violence in Cameroon has led to a major humanitarian crisis, forcing over322,000 people from their homes since 2014, including 12,500 since December. They said Boko Haram fighters arrived on pirogues without engines and only fired a few gunshots to limit any noise that could have prompted soldiers to intervene. Illegal Gold Mining Funding Armed Groups in Sahel: Interpol, The Defense Post, December 2020, https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/12/21/illegal-mining-armed-groups-sahel/, Nigeria Emergency, UNHCR, December 2020, https://www.unhcr.org/uk/nigeria-emergency.html, Boko Haram teams up with bandits in Nigeria, Institute for Security Studies, March 2021, https://issafrica.org/iss-today/boko-haram-teams-up-with-bandits-in-nigeria. In addition to the short term rewards, kidnappings also offer groups such as Boko Haram long term strategic advantages, including: Procreation and breeding the next generation of fighters; Long term goals to undermine the government and capitalize on local grievances. The following two days, we collected 40 more, for a total of over 80 bodies. Threat Assessment: Increase and Change in Boko Haram Tactics, In 2021, Nigeria faced a surge in violent attacks. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? How many has he terrorised? The reproductive capacity of young girls and women offers the group an incentive to kidnap that specific demographic. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R43558.pdf, [9] Boko Haram teams up with bandits in Nigeria, Institute for Security Studies, March 2021, https://issafrica.org/iss-today/boko-haram-teams-up-with-bandits-in-nigeria, [10] Paying for terrorism: Where does Boko Haram gets its money from?, Independent, June 2014, https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/paying-terrorism-where-does-boko-haram-gets-its-money-9503948.html&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1614740660925000&usg=AOvVaw2TJIukbm-Ctcn7Vye2_4F0, [11] Boko Haram claims kidnapping of over 300 boys in Nigeria, marking an alarming move west, The Washington Post, December 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/boko-haram-nigeria-300-boys-kidnap/2020/12/15/98a4bf32-3eaf-11eb-b58b-1623f6267960_story.html, [12] Insecurity: Nigerians pay over N7 billion ransom to kidnappers in nine years, Premium Times, May 2020, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/394899-insecurity-nigerians-pay-over-n7-billion-ransom-to-kidnappers-in-nine-years-report.html, [13] Nigeria's school abductions: Why children are being targeted, BBC News, March 2021, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56212645, [14] Exploding Stereotypes: The Unexpected Operational And Demographic Characteristics of Boko Harams Suicide Bombers, Counter Terrorism Centre, August 2017, https://ctc.usma.edu/report-exploding-stereotypes-the-unexpected-operational-and-demographic-characteristics-of-boko-harams-suicide-bombers/, [15] Women as Symbols and Swords in Boko Harams Terror, Inclusive Security, March 2016, It provides the group with multiple short term incentives, including: Destabilization of the Nigerian governments economic and education programs; A primary source of funding and a means of obtaining government compensation;[10]. Human Rights Watch documented how a Boko Haram suicide bomber blew up fleeing civilians, dozens of local fishermen were killed with machetes and knives, and an elderly village chief was assassinated in front of his family. Confirmed, the death of Abubakar Shekau -- the leader of Nigerian jihadist extremist group Boko Haram. These atrocities are war crimes, said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. One woman was physically assaulted by Boko Haram fighters as she fled from an attack in late 2020. March 1: Over 100 people, including mothers and children, were abducted in Sabuwar Tunga village. Human Rights Watch previously documented how soldiers in Mozogo forced civilians to perform local night guard duty to protect the town against attacks by Boko Haram, using beatings and threats against those who refused. There are also other aspects of the strategy that have been criticised. Cameroons regional and international partners, including those supporting the multinational force, should bolster these efforts and ensure that their assistance does not contribute to human rights violations.For more details about the recent attacks and abuses in the Far North region, please see below.Humanitarian Crisis The faction was adopted later by Islamic States leadership in Iraq and Syria as its affiliate in the area after Shekau proved impossible to control. We target visitors whore looking for short-term or long-term stay at affordable costs. Some top options available in the area include: Hostels have long been a great way for budget-conscious travelers to explore new destinations without breaking the bank, but lately, many more people are starting, You never know what might happen while youre on the road, so its important to be prepared for any situation. Furthermore, there is a discrepancy in the number of girls that were released. Research by his firm, Beacon Consulting, found that there were about 6.5 million small arms and light weapons in circulation in Nigeria but just 586,000 are in the hands of security forces. While the kidnappees are now safe, this raises a concern, as when the government complies with kidnappers demands, publicly or otherwise, it sets a dangerous precedent for future kidnappings and is likely to encourage the group to continue kidnapping for successful ransoms. Furthermore, each staff speaks at least 3 or 4 languages, including English, Italian and French. I was also hit in the right hand with a spear. "It is one more indication that ISWAP has won," he said. Mr Adamu also says that "what we are seeing based on evidence is that these [armed] groups have a higher calibre of weapons, unfortunately, than the military". Any use, reproduction or duplication of the contents of this website without the express written permission of The Counterterrorism Group (CTG) is strictly prohibited. Illegal Gold Mining Funding Armed Groups in Sahel: Interpol. This ensures that visitors can easily communicate with our staff to get their needs met. There are major government initiatives that are meant to speed up development in the north-east, but little progress has been made. Hundreds have been killed and weapons, food and medicines have all been looted. If the attacks are attributed to other bandits in the region, it is likely Boko Haram has teamed up with them or is controlling them. An increase in the activity of Boko Haram in Nigeria has resulted in an influx of violent attacks, including through the use of kidnappings and rocket strikes. The group largely use young girls as suicide bombers for a variety of reasons. Furthermore, with more international attention on the havoc the group creates, the group also ensures that there is global recognition regarding the failure of the Nigerian government and the instability in the region. 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 theyve suffered. The nature of the new attacks represents a significant shift in attitudes of the group as a whole. However, it lacks kitchen equipment. The group already has a strong presence in the northeast region and by joining with local criminal groups throughout northern Nigeria, Boko Haram is able to utilize local knowledge of the groups, as well as strengthen relations they have with the local population. Flash Alert: Kidnapping for Profit in Northern Nigeria, CTG, February 2021, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-counterterrorism-group_kidnapping-for-profit-in-northern-nigeria-activity-6771816552846114816-dnA1, Curfew, market closure imposed in Nigerian town of abducted girls, AlJazeera, March 2021, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/4/curfew-market-closure-imposed-in-nigerian-town-of-abducted-girls, Nigeria: Mixed reactions to Maiduguri curfew, DW, December 2018, https://www.dw.com/en/nigeria-mixed-reactions-to-maiduguri-curfew/a-42123674. Audio, 18 minutes, We are winning the war against insecurity - Nigeria. Nigerias Boko Haram: Frequently Asked Questions. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. As Nigerias kidnapping crisis worsens, what can be done to make the country safe? But this was lifted by President Donald Trump in 2018 and as a result Nigeria is expecting the delivery of Super Tucano aircraft. An error occurred while subscribing your email address. The military is also hampered by gaps in intelligence gathering as well as being unable to plug information leaks. According to information collected by Human Rights Watch, about 100 Boko Haram fighters on wooden pirogues stormed an area of Darak known as Tonganamie, where night fishermen cast their nets, at about midnight. Boko Haram Kidnappings from November 2020 - March 5, 2021[24], Number of People kidnapped by Boko Haram from November 2020 - March 5, 2021[25] [26]. They were forced into marriage and sent to die on a suicide mission. The Inquiry. Last December, the chief prosecutor of the ICC. Fighters often went house-to-house, rounding up livestock and stealing valuables including money, mobile phones, jewellery, and clothes. March 1: A UN base was attacked, with 25 UN workers trapped in the bunker. Is Nigeria becoming impossible to govern? They gathered all the fishermen who were there and killed them with their knives and machetes as they tried to escape. Understanding the rise of Boko Haram. With rocket-propelled grenades, affected communities demand military protection which allows Boko Haram to do maximum damage with minimal effort. This should build on the military's air superiority, which Mr Adamu believes is not being used to its full advantage. Human Rights Watch also urges the Cameroonian parliament to hold a hearing to explore the governments response to the increasing attacks on civilians in the Far North, to provide recommendations on how to enhance civilian protection, and to seek input from international actors as needed. Building alliances will make Boko Haram an even stronger threat to the Nigerian government, with the long term potential to lead to them being perceived as a viable alternative. It took us three days to collect them all. WebUnderstanding the rise of Boko Haram How the militant Islamic group took hold in northern Nigeria BBC World Service Available for over a year 18 mins 'Why I returned to Boko All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. The 2014 internal Message to Fulanis video in which the group paid thanks to the state of Katsina in northern Nigeria and other unspecified locations highlights that the group has aimed to expand their influence throughout Nigeria. a decade-long preliminary examination into the situation in Nigeria, saying that it had found sufficient evidence of crimes to open a full investigation. My brother used his flashlight to light the surroundings. Comprising over 8,000 troops, the MNJTF receives technical, financial, and strategic support from international partners, including the European Union, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. To respond to these activities, Buharis government has deployed long range patrols on logistical routes typically used to transfer small arms and light weapons, many of which are being transported around Maiduguri. Share this via Printer, (Nairobi) The Islamist armed group Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on civilians in towns and villages in the Far North region of Cameroon since December 2020, killing at least 80 civilians, Human Rights Watch said today. They forced them on the ground and stole their phones. 2023 BBC. He explained that the Boko Haram insurgents are They took myjewelleryand belongings. Human Rights Watch spoke to five witnesses to the attack, including three family members of victims. February 24: Boko Haram killed 10 civilians and injured 47 civilians in an RPG attack on Maiduguri. Furthermore, as the group continues to form alliances with other bandits in the region and participate in proxy attacks, it is highly likely there will continue to be a surge in attacks. Shekau was responsible for using young women and girls as suicide bombers as well as the abduction of 300 female students from a college in 2014, in an incident that made global headlines. More Videos A family member of the fisherman who died said that BIR soldiers brought his body to their home hours after he was arrested, claiming he had died of a heart attack. In a January 8 statement, Cameroons communication minister said that local authorities and security forces had opened an investigation into the attack. It was a bloodbath. This new strategy of building alliances with criminal groups is a part of Boko Harams expansionist agenda. [5] The group aims to create an Islamic state that enables them to recruit and make financial gains from activities including ransom payments and illegal gold mining. A 40-year-old man whose village was raided told Amnesty International: Before, if you came to our house, youd see we had cows and goats. They may adopt and increase the use of methods they have utilized in the past, including robbery, protection rackets, and the imposition of taxes on civilians living in areas under the groups control. A hostel is a type of lodging that offers low-cost shared accommodation to guests. You may also meet your travel partner at our hostel. The area where a Boko Harams female suicide bomber detonated her explosive vest in the bush around Mozogo, Far North region, Cameroon, killing 11 civilians, February 2021, Biden Should Press Philippines Marcos on Human Rights Concerns, Ukraine: Izium Apartment Victims Need Justice, Joint Statement: UAE Human Rights Record Ahead of COP28, Indian Girls Alleged Rape and Murder Sparks Protests, Burma: Widespread Rape of Rohingya Women, Girls, humanitarian and other nongovernmental organizations, November 2020 report of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, the MNJTF receives technical, financial, and strategic support, incommunicado detention, systematic torture.