Kwara Camp Tragedy: Amnesty Demands Probe Into Reported Death of 150 Displaced Persons

Amnesty International has alleged that no fewer than 150 members of the Fulani community, including children, died in a military-controlled detention facility in Kwara State.

The organisation called on Nigerian authorities to immediately launch an independent investigation into the incident, while the Kwara State Government distanced itself from the claims.
In a statement released on Thursday, Amnesty said the victims were among about 1,500 displaced pastoralists held at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Yikpata after fleeing violent attacks in parts of the state.
According to the group, detainees were kept in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with little access to food, healthcare, or freedom of movement, resulting in widespread malnutrition and disease.
“Members of the Fulani community face persecution on two fronts, from armed groups and the military,” said Isa Sanusi.
“Instead of receiving protection, they are being denied their rights to personal liberty, livelihood, movement, education and healthcare,” he added.
Amnesty said its findings were based on field research conducted between April 5 and 11, during which its team interviewed dozens of detainees, survivors, and affected families.
The organisation added that images obtained from the camp showed severely malnourished children with visible ribs and extreme weakness. Survivors also described grim conditions, including frequent deaths and mass burials.
Some victims told Amnesty they fled their homes in January 2026 after military authorities directed residents deemed “innocent” to leave their villages to allow clearance operations. They were reportedly moved to a designated location before being transported to the Yikpata camp, where they have remained in prolonged detention.
A detained woman recounted that families were relocated with promises of safety but instead faced severe deprivation.
“At the camp, we did not have enough food, sometimes only beans in the evening, and even that was not guaranteed.
“Starvation claimed the lives of many children and pregnant women. My twin daughters, Hauwa’u and Hajja, died there. At the peak of the deaths, we contributed 60,000 naira to buy white shrouds because of the increasing number of deaths. We buried three corpses in a single grave,” she said.
Amnesty also quoted a 43-year-old escapee who claimed that deaths were frequent.
“A total of 154 people have died from hunger and disease since we were brought there. On the day I escaped, six children died,” he said.
Sanusi further condemned what he described as discriminatory profiling.
“Detaining people based on their identity constitutes discriminatory profiling and exposes them to violence and other human rights violations,” he said.
The organisation urged authorities to carry out a prompt, thorough, independent, and transparent investigation, ensure justice for victims, and end what it described as arbitrary detention.
“It is unlawful for a security operation to target individuals, families, or entire communities based on ethnicity. The existence of the camp places detainees outside the protection of the law, in violation of the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations,” he added.
Military, Government Deny Allegations
Responding to the claims, the Defence Headquarters denied that the facility was under military control.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Michael Onoja, said the military had no connection with the location.
“The story is not true. The so-called military detention facility is not under the purview of the military. The military has no business whatsoever with that location. You may wish to channel your enquiries to the appropriate government agency,” he said.
Similarly, the Kwara State Government denied involvement in running any such camp.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Bashir Adigun, said the state had no control over the facility.
“The state government does not have any camp,” he said, adding that the military would be better positioned to respond.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Theatre Command, Operation Savannah Shield, Mohammed Jamilu Yahaya, said he would verify the claims.
“I just saw this now, I will need to make verifications. I will get back to you,” he said, later adding that he was still working on it.
As of Thursday night, there had been no official statement from the military addressing Amnesty’s allegations.