Hamsatu A. N. Allamin, Founder/Executive Director,

1. Introduction/History

Allamin Foundation is a not for profit, non – political, non – religious and Non – Governmental Peace Building Organization. It was registered in response to the lack of voices, very low and pervasive literacy level, widespread abject poverty and long period of neglect suffered in the North East Region of Nigeria that led to emergence of the Boko Haram Insurgency in Borno, from where it spread to the entire region, across to Northern Nigeria, and extended to the West African sub-region, with consequent Humanitarian and social crisis that could not be responded to by local actors due to lack of capacity.

Boko Haram has killed more than 250,000^{1 zulum}  people since 2011 and abducted over three thousand nine hundred women,² ALfoped database, and several hundred boys and girls. The military in their fight against Boko Haram, has also arrested and detained more than 25,000 people suspected of having links with Boko Haram fighters and civilians, killed thousands extra judicially, and more than 7,000 suspects died in military custody, and still many more remain missing. Tens of thousands of people have been tortured by Boko Haram and the security forces.

Subsequently, as the survivors of Boko Haram abductions and sexual violence started returning in thousands from captivity, the society is over whelmed by different categories of vulnerable people men, women and children (boys and girls) including a significant number of “Invisible Children” (conceived and born in captivity and detention), who are full of grievances, frustrations and anger. Relationships have been destroyed, trust has broken down and social cohesion has been disrupted. The society is engulfed in a deep rooted culture of silence. Hence, the voices of victims and their relations were completely missing in the quest for accountability and justice, while stakeholders across remain indifferent to respond appropriately to the growing vulnerability.

Hence the creation of Allamin Foundation for Peace and Development as a “Voice of the Voiceless” and encourage stakeholders to respond to and manage the situation in a nonviolent manner. Thus, standing for women’s and people’s rights and adopting a Human Rights approach to building peace became the central focus of the foundation.