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| Hundreds dead in Nigeria detention, Amnesty says | Hundreds dead in Nigeria detention, Amnesty says |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Hundreds of people have died in detention facilities in north-east Nigeria as the army tries to crush an Islamist militant rebellion there, according to Amnesty International. | Hundreds of people have died in detention facilities in north-east Nigeria as the army tries to crush an Islamist militant rebellion there, according to Amnesty International. |
| The human rights group said some detainees died from suffocation in overcrowded cells, others from starvation and extra-judicial killings. | The human rights group said some detainees died from suffocation in overcrowded cells, others from starvation and extra-judicial killings. |
| It is calling for an urgent investigation into the deaths. | It is calling for an urgent investigation into the deaths. |
| There has not yet been an official response to the report. | There has not yet been an official response to the report. |
| But the Nigerian army has rejected all previous accusations of human rights abuses. | But the Nigerian army has rejected all previous accusations of human rights abuses. |
| A senior Nigerian army officer told Amnesty that at least 950 people had died in military custody during the first half of this year. | A senior Nigerian army officer told Amnesty that at least 950 people had died in military custody during the first half of this year. |
| Most had been accused of having links to the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Amnesty said. | Most had been accused of having links to the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, Amnesty said. |
| Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government to create an Islamic state, and has launched a number of attacks on schools. | Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow Nigeria's government to create an Islamic state, and has launched a number of attacks on schools. |
| About 50 students were shot dead earlier this month in their hostel, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram. | About 50 students were shot dead earlier this month in their hostel, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram. |
| A state of emergency was declared in three northern states in May - Yobe, Borno and Adamawa - in response to thousands of deaths in militant attacks. | A state of emergency was declared in three northern states in May - Yobe, Borno and Adamawa - in response to thousands of deaths in militant attacks. |
| But while most of the recent news from has been about these civilian killings, BBC Nigeria correspondent Will Ross says this latest Amnesty report shines a light on another grim side of life in northern Nigeria. | |
| At times, the number of people killed in these detention centres was so high that there were regular mass burials, Amnesty said. | At times, the number of people killed in these detention centres was so high that there were regular mass burials, Amnesty said. |
| The BBC has seen photos of bodies reportedly dumped outside the mortuary in the city of Maiduguri by the military. | The BBC has seen photos of bodies reportedly dumped outside the mortuary in the city of Maiduguri by the military. |
| The bodies showed no obvious signs of having been killed in combat. | The bodies showed no obvious signs of having been killed in combat. |
| Amnesty has called for an urgent investigation, but those who follow events closely in Nigeria will know that such an investigation is highly unlikely to happen, our correspondent says. | Amnesty has called for an urgent investigation, but those who follow events closely in Nigeria will know that such an investigation is highly unlikely to happen, our correspondent says. |