Nigeria Calls for Investigation into Abuse and Deaths at Kwara Detention Camp

Amnesty International has launched a scathing indictment against the Nigerian government, asserting that officials have failed to safeguard Fulani pastoralists detained in Kwara State. The organization alleges that a staggering 150 individuals—predominantly children—succumbed to dire conditions within a military-managed facility where displaced persons endured lengthy incarceration.

According to the report, these tragic deaths occurred among roughly 1,500 Fulani individuals, including men, women, and children, who were confined at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Yikpata. They had initially fled violence from armed groups terrorizing their communities in the local government areas of Asa, Edu, Ifelodun, and Patigi. After escaping, military officials instructed some of them to gather at designated assembly points before transporting them to the camp in Yikpata.

Amnesty International highlights that acute malnutrition and disease proliferated within the camp, with at least 100 pregnant women facing critical health risks due to insufficient maternal care. The organization is urging Nigerian authorities to initiate what it calls a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the reported fatalities and the treatment of those detained.