By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The committee set up by National Emergency Agency, NEMA, to probe allegations of rape and child trafficking in displaced people camps yesterday said there was no conclusive evidence to suggest the atrocities took place in Maiduguri, Borno State.

This website had published detailed reports of rape and child trafficking perpetrated by camp officials.

The report, which investigated abuses in Gombe, Adamawa and Borno states, jolted the management of NEMA and the federal government into setting up two separate investigative panels to probe the allegations.

However, chairman of the committee set up by NEMA, Bilikis Mohammed Abdullahi, a deputy director in the Directorate of State Service, DSS, disclosed to stakeholders that in the two camps visited in Maiduguri, the committee could not reach definite conclusion whether there had been cases of rapes in the camps.

Bilkis, however, revealed that the committee, made up of persons from the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Red Cross, the media, Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Justice and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), discovered that two girls might have been raped but said this was still an allegation that needed to be investigated further, with one of the girls left to medical personnel to verify the claim.

According to her, the www.icirnigeria.org report should not be construed as an indictment on Borno State government but rather an indictment on all concerned with management of the camps, including security agents.

If the atrocities were actually committed “under our watch”, Bilkis said, “(we should) come together to put a stop to it,’ adding that more camps would be visited.

Also speaking, Borno State Emergency Management Agency boss, Grema Terab, said while it was shocking that such could have taken place in the state, there was need for proper investigation to be carried out because it would be difficult for rape to take place, as security was tight around the camps.

“It was a surprise to me to hear that there were rape in our camps. We will do our investigations and take appropriate actions,’ Terab said.