-- Demands probe, end to 'arbitrary detention'
Global rights group Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to investigate the reported deaths of at least 150 members of the Fulani community allegedly detained at a military-controlled facility in Kwara State.
In a statement issued on April 30, 2026, the organisation said the victims--many of them children--were among about 1,500 Fulani pastoralists held for months at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Yikpata, in Kwara State.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
According to Amnesty International, the detainees were displaced persons who fled attacks by armed groups across parts of the state, including Asa, Edu, Ifelodun and Patigi local government areas. The group alleged that instead of receiving protection, they were transported by security forces to the camp, where they have remained under prolonged detention.
The organisation claimed that conditions at the facility are overcrowded and unsanitary, with restricted movement, inadequate food, and limited access to healthcare, leading to cases of malnutrition and disease. It also expressed concern over the welfare of pregnant women at the camp, stating that many face life-threatening risks due to insufficient maternal care.
Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said affected individuals are facing threats both from armed groups and state authorities.
"Instead of receiving protection, they are being denied their rights to liberty, movement, education and healthcare," he said, adding that several detainees reported losing family members while in custody.
Amnesty International said its findings were based on field visits conducted between April 5 and 11, during which researchers engaged dozens of affected persons and interviewed family members, detainees and survivors.
Testimonies cited by the organisation described severe hunger and rising fatalities within the camp. One detainee reportedly said her two children died due to starvation, while another survivor claimed that more than 150 people had died from hunger and disease since their detention.
The group also alleged cases of discriminatory profiling, claiming that some individuals were targeted based on identity, subjected to unlawful searches, and forced to pay bribes.
Amnesty International urged the Nigerian government to carry out a "prompt, thorough, independent and transparent" investigation into the alleged deaths and ensure accountability where necessary.
It also called for an immediate end to what it described as arbitrary detention, warning that holding individuals based on ethnic identity violates Nigeria's laws and international human rights obligations.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the Nigerian military or relevant authorities regarding the allegations.
