In May, DSS operatives stormed the house CHILDREN’S RIGHTS of Sunday Ighoho, a Yoruba activist, killing Access to education was limited for tens of two of his supporters and arresting 13 others. thousands of children due to the authorities’ FORCED EVICTIONS ongoing failure to protect schools from attacks by insurgents and other armed Forced evictions continued unabated despite groups. Further mass abductions of the Covid-19 pandemic. On 10 and 13 July, schoolchildren resulted in hundreds of more than 400 homes in Iddo Sarki children killed, raped, forced into community, Abuja, were demolished by staff “marriages” or forced to join Boko Haram. of the Federal Capital Development Authority Children were abducted from Kagara, and personnel from the police, army, Security Jangebe, Afaka, Kasarami, Tegina and other and Civil Defence Corps and other security communities across northern Nigeria, agents. Residents were tear-gassed by resulting in hundreds of schools being security agents. University of Abuja students closed, with serious consequences for young who were renting apartments in the people in a region already facing extreme community returned from lessons to find insecurity. their accommodation and belongings in VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS ruins. The homes were demolished without genuine consultation with affected In August, a Federal High Court in Abuja communities, adequate written notice, or delivered judgment in favour of women who provision of alternative accommodation. were subjected to sexual and gender-based On 11 and 12 August, hundreds of houses violence by agents of the Federal Capital in Mpape community, Abuja, were Territory Administration in the so-called demolished by staff of the Federal Capital “Abuja raids”. Damages were awarded to the Territory Ministerial Committee on City survivors. The court also issued an injunction Sanitation, personnel from the police, army, restraining law enforcement agencies from Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and further acts of violence against women. other security agents, without following In September, state governor Ahmad Fintiri human rights and procedural safeguards for signed the Violence Against Persons evictions. The demolitions not only violated Prohibition Bill into law in Adamawa state. In people’s right to adequate housing but also December, Imo and Cross River state negatively impacted their livelihoods. Threats governors signed into law their states’ of further forced evictions by the authorities Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bills. remained in communities across the country. The Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly passed a bill to provide free medical care for WORKERS’ RIGHTS survivors of sexual abuse. HEALTH WORKERS Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu Resident doctors in government-owned upgraded the Lagos state Domestic and hospitals went on strike over their welfare, Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) unfair remuneration, poor working conditions, into an agency. The DSVRT is charged with inadequate health infrastructure and combating sexual and domestic violence in equipment, and unpaid salaries, among other Lagos state. concerns. On 24 June, doctors in government-owned LGBTI PEOPLE’S RIGHTS hospitals in Ondo state embarked on a three- The Taraba state House of Assembly passed month industrial action. On 2 August, the Violence and Discrimination Against resident doctors embarked on a nationwide Persons Prohibition Bill (2021) into law. It industrial action which was suspended on 4 included a provision for life imprisonment for October. transgender people. Amnesty International Report 2021/22 279