Senate to investigate alleged sexual abuses, violence in IDPs camps

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Thursday expressed the senate’s readiness to investigate all allegations related to sexual abuses and violence in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) camps nationwide.

The report is on the state of the world’s human rights and women who survived BokoHaram but later maltreated.

He said that a committee had been set up in that regard, adding that the country, being an important part of the comity of nations, must continue to lead by example by doing the right things.

“To get it right, we must be able to accept where these issues exist and work with partners like you to be able to establish the facts.

“We have already set up a panel on your IDP report. By doing this, we can establish where sanctions need to be meted out.

“You have our assurance that nothing will be covered-up. Not just for the purpose of disciplining people, but preventing re-occurrence.

“By doing this, we can help to ensure that people change in their approach.

“Our people are already going through a lot of hardship in the IDP camps, they do not need this,’’ Saraki was quoted as saying by his Special Assistant on New Media, Olu Onemola.

He said it was important to act on behalf of the victims of abuse.

Saraki expressed determination in ensuring that the committee set up to carry out the investigation worked closely with amnesty international.

He said essence of the investigation was to ensure that the administration of justice was achieved.

Earlier, the Country Director of AI, Mrs OsaiOjigho, said that the visit was to commend the senate for setting up a panel to investigate the allegations documented in the report.

“We think it is a good sign of progress and a willingness to find out the truth regarding the incidents that have been happening.

“We hope that it will bring recourse to the women victims and their families in their quest to seek justice.

“We also want to commend the work of the National Assembly in passing and reforming our laws, particularly the Anti-Torture Law that was signed by the President in December.

“We believe that this would go a long way in addressing the issue of torture, particularly by our security forces in Nigeria,” she said.