6.2.2 Crimes committed by non-state armed forces

COMMON ANALYSIS
Last update: February 2019
*Minor updates added October 2021
According to OHCHR, the human rights violations committed by Boko Haram amount to breaches of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including:
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massacres;
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the burning down of entire villages;
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attacks on protected sites such as places of worship and schools, and the slaughter of people taking refuge in such sites;
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torture;
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cruel and degrading treatment following sentences in so-called "courts";
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abduction on a massive scale, including of children;
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forced displacement;
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child recruitment; and
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extremely severe and widespread violations of the rights of women and girls, including sexual slavery, sexual violence, forced so-called "marriages", and forced pregnancy’.

[Targeting, 2.1.1]

The violent clashes between herders and farmers and/or between communal militias have increased over the years, resulting in higher numbers of deaths on both sides and serious human rights violations, including rape, abduction and attacks leading to the destruction of entire villages. The conflict has also had a considerable humanitarian impact, including the destruction of cattle, crops, and farmland [Targeting, 3.7.1, 3.7.2].

Some of the crimes committed by militant groups in the Niger Delta include e.g. kidnapping, car bombing and oil bunkering [Targeting, 2.2.2.3, 2.2.3.3]. ESN has also conducted attacks mainly against police stations [Security situation 2021, 1.4.1.1, 2.25.3.2]