The Network of Civil Society
Organisations in Borno State, has raised the alarm over the increasing
rate of prostitution by female internally displaced persons in the
state.
The Chairman of the CSOs, Ahmed Shehu,
said that displaced women and teenagers were engaging in prostitution
in order to raise money to feed their families.
He noted that 60 per cent of female IDPs
had suffered rape and other forms of sexual harassment, adding that
many homes in Maiduguri and environs were now headed by teenagers whose
parents had either been killed, missing or in Boko Haram captivity.
The activist stated that the development could worsen the high incidences of sexually-transmitted diseases in the state.
Shehu said, “Many females were raped and
killed while collecting firewood, particularly as they travelled
farther from their communities. Many teenagers are heading their
families now because their parents had been killed or captured by Boko
Haram. The sad part of it is that many female internally displaced
persons have gone into prostitution so that they can feed themselves.”
A Borno-based journalist, Mohammed Alfa,
said the Federal Government should invite the anti-graft agencies to
Borno State, “if they were serious about fighting corruption.” He noted
that foods meant for the IDPs were being diverted and sold by state
government officials.
Alfa alleged that some people had
threatened his life for publishing a report on the nefarious activities
going in the camps, stressing that he was not frightened by the threat.
The NOI, in its assessment, noted the
cases of sexual abuse and rise in social vices in the camps and called
on the government to address it.
It also affirmed incidences of
corruption and sharp practices with respect to the distribution of
relief materials donated to the IDPs.
“Majority of IDPs (93 per cent) attested
that they don’t get most of the relief materials such as food, clothes,
medicines and so on, allocated to them by the government and donor
agencies,” the report stated.
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