"We fear that there are still kids who are being at least temporarily detained because they are being released from Boko Haram areas by the army"

* Children held after Nigeria retakes land from Boko Haram

* Rights groups say no proper legal process

* Army says needs to establish whether any militant links

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The United Nations has negotiated the release of nearly 900 children detained by Nigeria's army and security forces after they have retaken land from Boko Haram militants, a senior official said.

The 876 children had been held in the barracks in Maiduguri, UNICEF's Manuel Fontaine said after visiting the northeastern city.

It was not immediately clear how long they had been held, but the army routinely detains civilians who have been living in areas that had been ruled by the insurgents on suspicion that they too might be linked to militant activities.

However, rights groups say there is no proper legal process for such civilians, including the children, since they do not get formally charged and some end up in so-called rehabilitation centres, which the groups say are like prisons.

The United Nations says children should not be detained.

"We fear that there are still kids who are being at least temporarily detained because they are being released from Boko Haram areas by the army but then kept for a while," Fontaine, UNICEF'S regional director for Western and Central Africa, told reporters by telephone.

He give no details of the ages of the children or how long they had been at the barracks - but after President Muhammadu Buhari came to power in May 2015, security forces began an offensive, backed by neighbouring countries, to retake territory from Boko Haram, meaning at least some of the children could have been held for a year or more.

There was no immediate comment from the army. Army officials say they need to question civilians to establish whether they have any ties with the militant group, which has been trying for seven years to set up an Islamic state.

The security situation remains volatile in northeastern Borno state and its capital Maiduguri because Boko Haram still stages suicide bombings, often using women or teenagers.

Fontaine also said the conflict, which has killed thousands and displaced more than 2 million, had separated around 20,000 children from their parents, of which 5,000 had since been reunited with their families.

"Once we get children out, there is a major issue of stigmatisation in the communities," Fontaine said. "There is a sense that children who have been associated with Boko Haram for a while, could be, and in some cases we have some evidence, are rejected by community and people around them."

This was also a problem for the girls freed from the town of Chibok, he said. Nigeria this month negotiated, with the help of Switzerland, the release of 21 of more than 200 girls Boko Haram kidnapped in April 2014.

(Reporting by Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Alison Williams)

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.</s>A makeshift camp which houses internaly displaced people (IDPs) on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria on September 15, 2016. By Stefan Heunis (AFP)

Lagos (AFP) - Human Rights Watch on Monday accused Nigerian officials of sexually exploiting women and girls living in camps for victims of Boko Haram in the war-torn northeast.

HRW said in July it documented 43 cases of women and girls in seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, the epicentre of the seven-year Islamist insurgency, who had been abused by camp leaders, policemen and soldiers.

"It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram," said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at HRW.

"It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them," she added.

Nigerian President Muhummadu Buhari said in a statement he was "worried and shocked" by the report and directed police to "immediately commence investigations into the issue."

"The welfare of these most vulnerable of Nigerian citizens has been a priority of his government," presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said, adding that the allegations raised by the HRW "are not being taken lightly."

Four of the victims told HRW they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.

"Many of those coerced into sex said they were abandoned if they became pregnant. They and their children have suffered discrimination, abuse, and stigmatisation from other camp residents," the global rights body said.

HRW spoke to one 17-year-old girl who was raped and made pregnant by a policeman.

"One day he demanded to have sex with me," she said. "I refused but he forced me. It happened just that one time, but soon I realised I was pregnant.

"When I informed him about my condition, he threatened to shoot and kill me if I told anyone else. So I was too afraid to report him."

HRW said irregular supplies of food, clothing, medicine and other essentials in camps were making the women vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

"In some cases, men used their positions of authority and gifts of desperately needed food or other items to have sex with women," it said.

Boko Haram has devastated northeast Nigeria in its quest to create an Islamist state, killing over 20,000 people and displacing 2.6 million from their homes.

Since taking up arms against the Nigerian government in 2009, the jihadists have disrupted trade routes and farms.

Now nearly 50,000 children are facing death by starvation if they don't get food and almost 250,000 more are severely malnourished in Borno state, according to UNICEF.</s>MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A car bomb targeting a military checkpoint on a road leading to Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri exploded Tuesday, killing all nine people in the vehicle, police and witnesses said.

It was unclear if any soldiers were hurt in the attack, which was blamed on Boko Haram extremists.

Preliminary reports indicate that those killed were the driver and passengers in the explosives-laden minivan, said police deputy superintendent Victor Isuku.

The van came off a rural road and blew up shortly after turning onto the tarred main road near Gubio town in a "massive blast," said truck driver Habib Isa. Gubio is 60 miles northeast of Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and headquarters of the military campaign to halt the insurgency.

Boko Haram recently has stepped up attacks after a months-long lull caused by a leadership struggle in the Islamic State-affiliated group.

Tuesday's explosion follows four suicide bombings in three weeks in Maiduguri, which is home to nearly as many refugees from Boko Haram as residents. Two of those suicide bombers tried, but failed, to enter a camp housing more than 16,000 refugees.

The uprising has killed more than 20,000 people over seven years and forced some 2.6 million people from their homes.</s>The firepower of the ground troops and joint air operation of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) monday forced a massive defection and subsequent surrender of 240 remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists.

The terrorists were given a run for their money during the Operation Gama Aiki, the codename used by the MNJTF and they not just surrendered but also dropped their arms and ammunition.

 It was gathered that they had surrendered following the sustained offensive operations and blockage of logistics supply routes, which made the terrorists’ locations untenable.

According to Colonel Muhammad Dole, the Chief Military Public Information Officer, it was a result of the sustained offensive that the Boko Haram suspects and their families abandoned their locations and surrendered with their arms to the nearest locations of the ground forces in the operation areas.

He said: “The recent wave of mass defection took place in Sector 2 Area of Responsibility (AOR) Bagasola in Chad.

“A total of 240 Boko Haram terrorists surrendered; some of them with arms and ammunition. They are being profiled and camped in Bagasola.

“During his operational visit to Sector 2 AOR, the Commander MNJTF, Major General Lamidi Adeosun, addressed the e-Boko Haram terrorists and their families.

“The Commander commended the leaders of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists for their courage and taking the right decision to abandoned terrorism and insurgency for normal life.

“He assured them of safety and good care as long as they remain in the camps. He also urged them to encourage their colleagues in the bush to stop fighting and join them in the camps.

“This peaceful disarming and profiling of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists by the MNJTF forces, clearly demonstrated extent of professionalism and adherence to International Humanitarian Laws and Laws of Armed Conflict in combat operations.

“The Commander MNJTF donated token cash for purchase of two cows and 10 bags of assorted food stuff for each of the two groups for the welfare and up keep of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists and their families.

“This brings to the total number of surrendered Boko Haram terrorists to MNJTF troops in sector two to 464.

“While addressing a team of international non-governmental organisations operating in the camps, the vommander praised their commitment and sacrifice in discharging their humanitarian duties.

 “He implored them to mobilise more resources and manpower, as more Boko Haram terrorists are expected to defect and join their colleagues in the camps.

“The ex- Boko Haram terrorists are expected to receive trainings in different skills and small businesses as scheduled by government agencies and NGOs.

“In another development, the Commander MNJTF made presentation of cash to representatives of officers and soldiers who were killed in action and wounded in action during Operation Gama Aiki.

 “As part of encouragement and alleviation of suffering to the victims’ families and wounded personnel, the headquarters, MNJTF made provisions of one million CFA for each family of KIA and five hundred thousand CFA only for each wounded in action in the battle field.

“During the presentations in sectors two Bagasola (Chad) and sector four Diffa (Niger), General Adeosun prayed for the souls of the departed colleagues for the supreme sacrifice they made in the service to humanity and praised the courage and bravery displayed by the WIA.

“He equally consoled the families of the KIA and prayed for quick recuperation of the wounded in action. In Sector Two Bagasola, the Commander was accompanied during the visit to ex-Boko Haram terrorists camps by the Coordinator/Chief of Staff of the Chadian Ground Forces and Red Barrettes, Major General Ismael Hour, Deputy Commander, MNJTF, Brigadier General Musa Muhammad Djour and Senior Prefect of Bagasola.”</s>LAGOS, Nigeria — Human Rights Watch says Nigerian government officials, soldiers and police are raping and sexually exploiting women and girl refugees from Boko Haram, instead of protecting them.

A report from the New York-based organization says shortages of food, medicine and clothing in refugee camps compounds the vulnerability of victims including many unaccompanied girls and women orphaned and widowed by the 7-year uprising.

Human Rights Watch documented in July the rapes and sexual exploitation of 37 females, including four who said they were drugged and then abused. Some describe having sex in exchange for food for their children.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Nigeria's police chief and governors of affected states to investigate immediately. A statement promises his government will "do its very best" to protect "these most vulnerable of Nigerian citizens."</s>Forty-three cases of "sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation", were documented in July, HRW said.

The women and girls were housed at seven camps in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, where Boko Haram's seven-year insurgency began. That insurgency has displaced more than two million people and killed some 15,000 in Nigeria's northeast.

An army spokesman declined to comment and referred the matter to the defense ministry. A spokesman for the department could not be reached by phone and did not respond to a text message. A spokesman for the Nigerian police could not be reached on his mobile phone.

The rights group said it was also told of abuse carried out by camp leaders and members of security groups set up to help the military fight the insurgents.

Four people told HRW they were drugged and raped. Thirty-seven said they had been coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.

A 17-year-old girl said she was raped by a policeman who approached her in a camp.

"One day he demanded to have sex with me. I refused but he forced me," she said, adding that it happened once. She said he threatened to shoot and kill her when she discovered that she was pregnant.

Another girl - a 16-year-old who fled an attack on Baga, near Lake Chad, last year - said she was drugged and raped in May 2015 by a community security group member in charge of distributing aid in the camp.

Boko Haram, which controlled a swathe of land in the northeast around the size of Belgium early last year, has largely been pushed back to its base in the northeast's vast Sambisa forest in the last few months.

Aid workers and soldiers have gained access to the group's former northeastern strongholds, revealing famine-like conditions which UNICEF says could kill 75,000 children over the next year if they do not receive aid.

Nigerian lawmakers in early October said they would investigate the use of government funds intended to assist displaced people, amid claims that money had been diverted.
The United Nations and Nigeria come to an agreement to release 876 children being held due to suspicions that they are tied to Boko Haram.