Nigeria is to investigate reports of rapes, child trafficking and other abuses in camps for people fleeing from the militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
The country's National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) has formed a panel to investigate the abuses.
A spokesperson for Nema told the BBC that investigators would visit every camp for displaced people.
Approximately 3.2 million Nigerians have fled their homes to escape Boko Haram's insurgency in the northeast.
Nema's investigation is a response to a report published by Nigeria's Calabar-based International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).'Grievous' abuses
The report, written by freelance journalist Charles Dickson, alleges that hundreds of young girls have been trafficked from internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
Many victims were from unregistered, makeshift camps established when official camps could no longer cope, the report says.
It quotes an unnamed nurse as saying many children were brought to her hospital after being raped in the IDP camps.
It also alleges refugees are being sold as unpaid domestic workers, raped repeatedly, and in some cases burned and wounded with knives.
A spokesperson for Nema told the BBC that the allegations were "very grievous".
Ezikial Manzo said that the report published by the ICIR was the first Nema had heard of abuses at the camps and that its panel would "do everything in their power" to investigate.
Mr Manzo said that representatives from the ICIR had been invited to join the investigators as they toured the camps. He was not able to say how many camps there are, as many have been set up unofficially to cope with the millions of refugees.
Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission estimates that 3.2 million people have been displaced by Boko Haram's insurgency in the country's northeast, 1.6 million internally and 1.6 million in neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
BBC Nigeria analyst Jimeh Saleh says Nema's decision to launch the investigation is significant as the allegations are extremely serious.
Many people do not report rape in Nigeria, and have little confidence in the police to investigate cases, he says.
They will be hoping that Nema's investigation will be credible, and help break the culture of silence around rape, our reporter adds.
Nema has given the investigators two weeks to compile their report.
Nigeria's upcoming general election, due to take place on 14 February, has been postponed until 28 March due to security concerns.
Government officials said the country's military would be unable to provide sufficient security for the poll due to the Boko Haram insurgency.
BBC
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Video - Thousands of Nigerians flee Nigeria
Boko Haram crisis has been directly affecting Cameroon as well. The number of Nigerian refugees in the country has quadrupled. We take you to a camp in Maroua in the north of the country.
Boko Haram kidnap 20 in cameroon
Suspected militants from Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram have hijacked a bus in northern Cameroon, abducting at least 20 people, residents say.
Militants reportedly seized a bus carrying market-goers and drove it toward the border with Nigeria.
Some reports put the total number kidnapped in Cameroon as high as 30.
Boko Haram has escalated its attacks outside Nigeria in recent weeks, targeting neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
The insurgency has forced a postponement of Nigeria's presidential and parliamentary elections from 14 February to 28 March.
The bus was seized near the border area of Koza and driven towards the Nigerian border 18km (11 miles) away, a resident told the Associated Press news agency.Prison attacked
In an apparently related incident, several Boko Haram fighters were killed and around 10 Cameroonian soldiers injured as the militants attacked Kerawa, a local journalist told the BBC.
A separate group of fighters reportedly attacked the nearby town of Kolofata, looting food and livestock.
The attacks in Cameroon follow a series of assaults on the border towns of Bosso and Diffa in Niger.
Boko Haram militants targeted a prison in Diffa on Monday but were repelled by soldiers from Niger and Chad.
Diffa was also targeted by a car bomb which exploded near a market, news agencies reported, citing residents and military sources. A local journalist in Diffa told AFP he counted one dead and 15 injured.
Niger's parliament is due to vote on Monday on contributing 700 troops to a regional force battling to regain territory from Boko Haram ahead of Nigeria's rescheduled elections.
Abbo Moro, Nigeria's interior minister, told the BBC he believes the fight against the militant group will be successful enough for the elections to go ahead.
Elections for state governors and assemblies slated for 28 February have also been moved to 11 April.
BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross says many observers in the country see the delay as a political move aimed at helping the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
Uncertainty over the election is also having economic repercussions, our reporter says, with Nigeria's currency the naira falling to a record low on Monday.
The Boko Haram insurgency has caused more than 1.5 million people to flee their homes.
On Saturday, Nigeria and the governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin agreed to establish a force of 8,700 troops, police and civilians to fight the group.
BBC
Militants reportedly seized a bus carrying market-goers and drove it toward the border with Nigeria.
Some reports put the total number kidnapped in Cameroon as high as 30.
Boko Haram has escalated its attacks outside Nigeria in recent weeks, targeting neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
The insurgency has forced a postponement of Nigeria's presidential and parliamentary elections from 14 February to 28 March.
The bus was seized near the border area of Koza and driven towards the Nigerian border 18km (11 miles) away, a resident told the Associated Press news agency.Prison attacked
In an apparently related incident, several Boko Haram fighters were killed and around 10 Cameroonian soldiers injured as the militants attacked Kerawa, a local journalist told the BBC.
A separate group of fighters reportedly attacked the nearby town of Kolofata, looting food and livestock.
The attacks in Cameroon follow a series of assaults on the border towns of Bosso and Diffa in Niger.
Boko Haram militants targeted a prison in Diffa on Monday but were repelled by soldiers from Niger and Chad.
Diffa was also targeted by a car bomb which exploded near a market, news agencies reported, citing residents and military sources. A local journalist in Diffa told AFP he counted one dead and 15 injured.
Niger's parliament is due to vote on Monday on contributing 700 troops to a regional force battling to regain territory from Boko Haram ahead of Nigeria's rescheduled elections.
Abbo Moro, Nigeria's interior minister, told the BBC he believes the fight against the militant group will be successful enough for the elections to go ahead.
Elections for state governors and assemblies slated for 28 February have also been moved to 11 April.
BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross says many observers in the country see the delay as a political move aimed at helping the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
Uncertainty over the election is also having economic repercussions, our reporter says, with Nigeria's currency the naira falling to a record low on Monday.
The Boko Haram insurgency has caused more than 1.5 million people to flee their homes.
On Saturday, Nigeria and the governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin agreed to establish a force of 8,700 troops, police and civilians to fight the group.
BBC
Monday, February 9, 2015
Video - Al Jazeera talks with Nigeria Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari
Nigeria's main opposition leader shares his views on the postponed vote, Boko Haram, and challenges facing his country.
Related stories: Video - Presidential candidate General Buhari promises to tackle Boko Haram and corruption
Nigeria presidential elections postponed for six weeks due to Boko Haram
U.S. dissapointed with Nigeria presidential election delay
United States has expressed disappointment over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the February polls to March.
In a statement issued in Washington, the Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. was “deeply disappointed” by Nigeria’s decision to delay the election. “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process,” Kerry said.
He visited Nigeria on Jan. 25, urging the People Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan and the All Progressives Congress party presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to prevent potential post-election violence by their supporters. The statement read:
“The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14. Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
“The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence.”
The Sun
Related story: Nigeria presidential elections postponed for six weeks due to Boko Haram
In a statement issued in Washington, the Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. was “deeply disappointed” by Nigeria’s decision to delay the election. “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process,” Kerry said.
He visited Nigeria on Jan. 25, urging the People Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan and the All Progressives Congress party presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to prevent potential post-election violence by their supporters. The statement read:
“The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14. Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.
“The international community will be watching closely as the Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.
“As I reaffirmed when I visited Lagos last month, we support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related violence.”
The Sun
Related story: Nigeria presidential elections postponed for six weeks due to Boko Haram
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