The Weaponisation of Women by Boko Haram and the Prospects of Accountability

Abstract

Boko Haram has made extensive use of women in its tactical evolution since the beginning of the current insurgency in northeast Nigeria. This chapter examines the instrumentalisation of women by Boko Haram both as direct targets of attacks and as operational deployments over the last few years. The chapter examines some of the different ways in which Boko Haram has weaponised women in its insurgency and the international legal framework protecting women in the conflict. I argue that although there exist a wide range of international legal instruments that protect women in a non-international armed conflict such as the Boko Haram conflict and thus could be used for the prosecution of violators, for a variety of reasons, the prospects of holding perpetrators of crimes against women in the Boko Haram conflict accountable are very slim even if the conflict ends. There is a general lack of interest in prosecuting crimes against women in Nigeria even in peace times. There is reluctance on the part of government to prosecute Boko Haram operatives, and the few cases of Boko Haram arrests and prosecution that have taken place so far have mainly focused on acts of terrorism and threats to national security to the neglect of abuses committed against women. I conclude that the culture of impunity in Nigeria and human rights violations will hinder efforts to hold the perpetrators of violence against women during the armed conflict to account. I then make recommendations for accomplishing this task.