[JURIST] The United Nations [official website] High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday called on new Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari [JURIST news archive] to investigate reports of both military abuses and crimes committed by the Islamist rebel group Boko Haram [BBC profile]. The top human rights official, Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein [official profile], in a statement said [Reuters report], “Civilians in northeast Nigeria have been living through horrifying acts of cruelty and violence by Boko Haram. These include wanton killings, summary executions, forced participation in military operations – including the use of children to detonate bombs, forced labour, forced marriage and sexual violence, including rape.” There have also been reports that many civilians have suffered abuses by military forces, who have been detaining them in what Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] has called a “witch hunt” to locate and fight members of Boko Haram. AI also called on Buhari [JURIST report] earlier this week to investigate into any possible crimes committed at these detention camps.

Boko Haram [JURIST news archive], which means “Western education is a sin,” has been fighting to overthrow the Nigerian government in the interest of creating an Islamist state. Two weeks ago the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, reported that Boko Haram militants in Nigeria have been murdering women and girls [JURIST report] previously taken captive by the group. At the end of March Nigeria held its presidential and gubernatorial elections in spite of violent attacks directed towards voters [JURIST report] by Boko Haram. The elections, originally scheduled for February 14, were postponed [Washington Times report] as Nigeria attempted to eradicate Boko Haram after reports that the group had acquired military-grade weaponry, including armored personnel carriers. In February the UN reported that girls have been attacked [JURIST report] and been subjected to gender oppression in at least 70 countries for seeking an education. In January the UN Security Council condemned attacks by Boko Haram in Nigeria [JURIST report] and called for an end to terrorist attacks and the release of abducted child soldiers. The hostilities included mass killings, destruction of civilian homes and suicide bombings where children where induced to carry out the attacks.