In the heart of Nigeria, in the Borno region, a shadow hangs over the military jails. Amnesty International recently revealed that no fewer than 10,000 people are believed to have lost their lives in these conditions of detention since 2010, victims of the conflict with the terrorist group Boko Haram. The detainees, suspected of collusion with the extremists, were mostly local residents, survivors of Boko Haram.
Amnesty International’s shocking revelations shed a harsh light on a dark reality: deaths in custody remain tragedies often forgotten, overshadowed by the scale of the conflict. Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, stresses the urgency of investigating these deaths and supporting the survivors, many of whom bear the physical and mental scars of their detention. More than just a demand for justice, it is a call for empathy towards these men and women who were fighting for their survival.
Indeed, the psychological and physical after-effects suffered by survivors are evidence of an ordeal that transcends captivity. Many of them now find themselves alone, abandoned by a society that struggles to acknowledge their distress. It is crucial, as Isa Sanusi emphasizes, that the authorities take charge of these survivors to help them rebuild their lives and return to normal.
The call to the International Criminal Court (ICC) sounds like a demand for truth and reparation. Indeed, the opening of an investigation could shed light on these deaths in detention and engage the necessary responsibilities so that such tragedies do not happen again. The quest for justice is essential to heal the wounds of a conflict that has torn the Borno region apart for too long.
Ultimately, Isa Sanusi’s words resonate as a moral imperative: it is time to recognize the suffering of the 10,000 people who died in detention, to pay tribute to them and to guarantee a future for the survivors. The resolution of this crisis cannot be achieved without fair justice and adequate care for victims. Nigeria must now face its history and fully engage in the quest for truth and reconciliation.