The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State on Tuesday expressed concern over the increasing rate of prostitution by female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.

The Chairman of the CSOs, Ahmed Shehu spoke at the presentation of the situational assessment of internally displaced persons in the North-East by a non-governmental organisation, NOI Polls, in Abuja.

He said many of the female IDPs are now the breadwinners of their families, forcing them to engage in prostitution to meet demands.

Shehu said 60 per cent of the displaced women and teenagers had been raped and suffered other forms of sexual harassment.

He expressed worry that it could lead to high incidence of sexually-transmitted diseases.

Shehu said, “Many females were raped and killed while collecting firewood, particularly as they travelled farther from their communities. Many teenagers are heading their families now because their parents had been killed or captured by Boko Haram. The sad part of it is that many female internally displaced persons have gone into prostitution so that they can feed themselves.”

Azeez