ABSTRACT
According to the U.S. Department of State, the most serious human rights problems during 2011 were the abuses committed by the militant sect known as Boko Haram, which was responsible for killings, bombings, and other attacks throughout the country, resulting in numerous deaths, injuries, and widespread destruction of property; abuses committed by the security services with impunity, including killings, beatings, arbitrary detention, and destruction of property. Other serious human rights problems included sporadic abridgement of citizens' right to change their government, due to some election fraud and other irregularities; politically motivated and extrajudicial killings by security forces, including summary executions; security force torture, rape, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of prisoners, detainees, and criminal suspects; harsh and life-threatening prison and detention centre conditions; and arbitrary arrest: Ethnic, regional, and religious discrimination; human trafficking for prostitution and forced labour; discrimination against the disabled; discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; vigilante killings; forced and bonded labour; and child labour.
