have acted as bombers for Boko Haram
Study: 244 women or girls have acted as
bombers for Boko Haram
- Suicide bombings are becoming more and
more regular in Boko Haram attacks
- Women and girls have become the weapon of
choice for the Islamist group
- The number is only likely to keep rising
because of the fragile nature of the women
folk
A study by the Combating Terrorism Center at West
Point and Yale University in the United States of
America has revealed that 244 women or girls have
acted as bombers for Boko Haram.
According to elleuk.com, the report examined 434
suicide bombings carried out by Boko Haram
between 2011 and June, 2017.
The United Nations Children's Fund came to similar findings while looking at 84 bombings by minors this
year. The majority were done by girls, usually under
15.
As Boko Haram lose territory and are subjected to
heavy attacks by the Nigerian Military, it's clear the
insurgents are using girls and women to hit soft
targets.
Women and girls have acted as active bombers for
Boko Haram. Photo credit: Sally Hayden
“It is definitely devastating. A gut wrenching feeling
to think more and more women are being used as
suicide bombers.
“They [terrorists] just want to instill fear in the
community and ensure we are still aware of their
power over us,”
said Fati Gangaran, a young
photographer from Maiduguri who documents
ordinary life in the city. Boko Haram's use of female suicide bombers first
began after the kidnapping of the Chibok school girls
in 2014.
According to researchers, after the incident, the
insurgents realised the ability of young female bodies
to attract global attention.
Quickly, the numbers of women bombers increased
drastically.
But those on the ground say there are
other, more practical reasons to use women too. Bring Back Our Girls co-founder, Aisha Yesufu says
the use of women for the group's activities is due to
the fact that women are expendable.
She said: “Women are easy targets and they are
easily controlled, especially in the North-east of
Nigeria women are not given much respect, they are
not seen as equals and can easily be cowed into
obeying whatever vile instructions are given to them
“They have been programmed to always obey.
Keeping the women uneducated or half-educated
ensures male dominance over them.”
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi
Olonisakin, made the pledge on Tuesday, August 22,
in Abuja at a National Stakeholders’ Forum on Re-
integration in the North-east organised by the Kukah
Centre.
.
0 Comments