Freed Boko Haram women face a new problem - being rejected from their own communities

Nigerian women and girls who have been freed from the terrorist group Boko Haram are returning to their communities after being missing for months or even years, but not all are receiving a warm welcome.

According to the report by the New York Times, many of the women and girls are rejected by their communities, preventing them from rebuilding their lives.  

Those who reject the former Boko Haram captives believe them to be "annoba" or epidemics, while some regard them as "Boko Haram wives."

"There is a fear that if the needs of these survivors and returning populations are not met, these factors could add another dimension to an already complex conflict situation in northeast Nigeria," said Kimairis Toogood, an adviser to International Alert, which advocates peace in the African country. 

An estimated 2,000 women and female girls have been abducted by the radical Islam group since 2012, with some being freed as a result of the government's military operations.

Some of the former captives were reported to have been raped by members of the Boko Haram, with some falling pregnant.

Due to the success of the Nigerian military, some members of the terrorist group were scattered abroad, sending suicide bombers in the country's Northeastern region, and even beyond borders to Niger and Chad. The two countries have recently been hit by Boko Haram attacks in recent months.

In addition, the group has also used some female suicide bombers in the past, and just last week one female bomber killed 58 people in a Nigerian camp. This makes communities worried that some of the women may have been radicalized by the group, and are out trying to recruit new members. 

Boko Haram's terror attacks have shaken the entire nation, and the United Nations estimates that about 2.8 million people have fled their homes to keep their families safe.