The United Nations committee has reported that Nigeria continues to commit grave and systematic violations of women’s and girls’ rights, particularly in the aftermath of mass abductions by Boko Haram and other armed groups.
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) issued the findings after visiting Chibok Government Secondary School, marking the first UN delegation to assess the site since the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls.
In Abuja, the delegation met with officials from the Women Development Department, Defence and Security, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the Police Service Commission. They also visited an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp to interview survivors of abductions.
The inquiry initially focused on the Chibok case, in which 82 girls escaped independently and 103 were released between 2016 and 2017 through prisoner exchanges. At least 91 girls remain missing or in captivity.
CEDAW’s investigation extended to abductions carried out by other armed groups in subsequent years, often for ransom, forced marriage, or trafficking. Chair Nahla Haidar noted that the Chibok abduction was part of a broader pattern affecting at least 1,400 students since 2014.
“The repeated failure of authorities to protect schoolgirls and other women from abduction amounts to systematic and grave violations,” Haidar said.
The report documented harsh conditions in captivity, including inadequate food, physical abuse, forced marriage, religious conversion, and sexual violence. Survivors of ransom kidnappings faced repeated rape and other forms of abuse.
CEDAW highlighted that girls who escaped on their own often could not return home due to stigma, while many received little or no rehabilitation, counselling, or schooling. The 103 girls released through government negotiations received psychosocial support and educational opportunities, including scholarships.
The committee criticized the government for failing to protect schoolgirls, prevent attacks, provide support to survivors, and destigmatize victims of sexual violence. Authorities were also found responsible for not criminalizing abduction and marital rape in all 36 states.
“The testimonies of survivors reveal profound challenges, including abandonment after escape and families left destitute by ransom payments,” Haidar added, underscoring the need for urgent action to protect women and girls nationwide.