The Borno State Government has expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of prostitution among former Boko Haram captives, citing poverty and lack of reintegration support as contributing factors.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, raised the alarm during a courtesy visit by Hamsatu Allamin, the CEO of the Allamin Foundation for Peace, on Friday in Maiduguri.
Wakilbe disclosed that many victims, particularly young girls, were subjected to sexual exploitation during captivity and remain vulnerable after their release.
Wakilbe revealed that prostitution is most prevalent in local government areas such as Bama, Banki, and Gwoza.
Sharing a poignant encounter, he recounted meeting an 11-year-old girl caring for three children, a situation he described as “heartbreaking.”
He also noted that Cameroonian authorities had recently repatriated girls aged between 13 and 15, many of whom had children of their own.
He highlighted the dire need for comprehensive reintegration programs to help these victims rebuild their lives and prevent further exploitation.
“This is a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by poverty and the absence of viable survival alternatives,” Wakilbe said.
The Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, has devastated Nigeria’s northeastern region, claiming over 50,000 lives and displacing more than two million people.
The abduction of 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 remains a stark reminder of the crisis. Though some of the girls have been freed, many remain unaccounted for.
Experts have called for strengthened collaboration between government agencies, international organizations, and non-profits to address the reintegration and rehabilitation needs of victims, ensuring they do not fall prey to further abuse.
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