Africa Press-Nigeria:
Amnesty International on Monday said Nigerian authorities have left rural communities at the mercy of rampaging bandits.
AI said gunmen killed at least 1,126 people, and kidnapped at least 380 in the northern part of the country between January and July.
The body listed the states as Kaduna, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara.
“Many of those interviewed described how security forces often arrive hours after attacks have ended, even when officers have been given information about impending attacks. During one attack in Unguwan Magaji in Kaduna state, security forces arrived at the scene but left when they saw the sophisticated ammunition the attackers were using. By the time they returned, at least 17 people had been killed.”
AI said worst affected are villages in the south of Kaduna State, where armed men killed at least 366 people in multiple attacks.
Osai Ojigho, Director of AI Nigeria, said terrifying attacks on rural communities in the north of Nigeria have been going on for years.
She called the failure of security forces to take sufficient steps to protect villagers “utterly shameful”.
“In addition to the security forces’ failure to heed warnings or respond in time to save lives, the fact that no perpetrators have been brought to justice leaves rural communities feeling completely exposed. The President claims he has repeatedly tasked security agencies to end the killing so that Nigerians can go to bed with their eyes closed, but clearly nothing has changed.”
The statement said at least 77 people have been killed since January 2020 in the ongoing communal clashes between the Jukun and Tiv ethnic groups in Taraba state.
It recalled that on May 28, at least 74 people were reportedly killed in Sokoto state, when gunmen attacked four villages in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
AI noted that the attacks in Kaduna, Plateau and Katsina states were discovered to have been coordinated.
“Attackers stormed villages on motorcycles and were heavily armed. They shoot sporadically at people, set houses on fire, steal cattle, destroy farm produce and abduct villagers for ransom.”
AI decried how dozens were killed by suspected herders in four communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna.
“More than 100 people were killed in July during 11 suspected coordinated attacks in Chikun, Kaura and Zangon-Kataf Local Government Areas of the state. At least 16 people were killed in Kukum-Daji on 19 July 2020, in an attack that lasted for five minutes, when attackers shot sporadically at villagers.”
