Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to launch an urgent investigation into the deaths of at least 150 Fulani individuals, many of them children, who were reportedly held in harsh conditions at a military-controlled camp in Kwara State.
In a statement released on April 30, the rights group said the victims were part of roughly 1,500 Fulani pastoralists who had fled violence in their communities but were later detained for months at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Yikpata.
According to Amnesty’s findings, those held at the facility endured overcrowded living spaces, poor sanitation, severe food shortages and limited access to healthcare, conditions that contributed to widespread illness and malnutrition.
The organisation said its researchers visited the camp in early April and witnessed distressing scenes, including children weakened by hunger, with visible signs of extreme malnutrition. It also warned that dozens of pregnant women at the site face serious health risks due to the absence of proper maternal care.
Amnesty International Nigeria’s Executive Director, Isa Sanusi, said the affected community had been caught between violence by armed groups and alleged mistreatment by security forces, noting that instead of receiving protection, they were subjected to further hardship and denied basic rights.
Testimonies gathered from detainees described deep personal losses. One woman recounted how she lost her twin daughters after being transported to the camp under the promise of safety, only to face hunger and deteriorating conditions. She said families were forced to contribute money to bury the growing number of dead, sometimes placing multiple bodies in a single grave.
Another survivor who managed to escape the camp said more than 150 people had died from hunger and disease, recalling that several children died on the same day he fled.
Amnesty also raised concerns that the detention may have involved ethnic profiling, warning that targeting individuals based on their identity violates fundamental human rights and exposes them to further abuse.
The organisation called for an immediate end to what it described as arbitrary detention, insisting that such actions contravene Nigeria’s constitution and international obligations. It also demanded accountability for those responsible and justice for victims and their families.
As of now, authorities have yet to respond publicly to the allegations, while calls for a transparent investigation continue to grow.
