By Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Analysts and activists have described the recent Amnesty International report on Nigeria’s insecurity as an attempt to “demarket” the country.
The report, released to mark the second anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claims that its investigation documented the killings of at least 10,217 people in armed attacks across Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara States since May 29, 2023.
According to Amnesty International, more than 10,000 people have been killed and hundreds of communities destroyed since President Tinubu assumed office two years ago.
“President Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, and security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” Amnesty stated.
The report further noted that within this period, new armed groups have emerged, including Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi States and Mamuda in Kwara State. Meanwhile, hundreds of villages have been sacked by gunmen in Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau, and Zamfara.
In Zamfara State alone, over 481 villages have been sacked, and 529 others are reportedly under the control of bandits across 13 local government areas.
Daily Attacks Documented
Amnesty added that it has documented daily attacks, including a massacre of over 20 miners in Gobirawa Chali on April 24, 2025.
The report also highlighted atrocities in Plateau and Benue States, where entire communities were razed, and essential infrastructure—such as boreholes, clinics, schools, grain reserves, and places of worship—was destroyed.
“These attacks deprived people of their right to life, while survivors are stripped of their livelihoods,” Amnesty International stated.
The Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, noted that more than 450,000 people in Benue and 65,000 in Plateau have been displaced, many of whom now resort to begging, unable to farm or return to their communities.
Amnesty concluded that the government’s failure to act decisively has fueled a “cycle of impunity” that emboldens armed groups and leaves millions at risk.
“President Tinubu must fulfill his promise to Nigerians and urgently address the resurgence of the nation’s endemic security crisis. The recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups shows that the security measures implemented by President Tinubu’s government are simply not working,” Sanusi said.
MURIC Condemns Amnesty Report
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned Amnesty International’s latest report on Nigeria. The Islamic human rights group described the report as jaundiced, lacking in substance, balance, and objectivity. MURIC accused Amnesty International of ignoring the achievements and victories of Nigeria’s security forces while focusing solely on killings and atrocities with the aim of demarketing the country.
MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, stated that the report provides gruesome details of killings and kidnappings in Nigeria. He described it as a hatchet job intended to serve the interests of fifth columnists or foreign enemies of Nigeria, rather than the constructive and balanced criticism expected of a reputable international organization.
“A damning report about Nigeria must generate attention among its citizens, particularly because it has the capacity to determine their rating among the comity of nations and, consequently, their future welfare.
“This is where a group like ours, operating within the country, finds it mandatory to speak up—even when we are not the best of friends with the current administration. But we must not allow our displeasure, which arose from the administration’s stylish marginalization of Muslims in political appointments, to cloud our sense of objectivity.
“We assert that Amnesty International’s report went haywire. It was too biased and heavily jaundiced. All it reported were the violent killings and kidnappings by terrorists without giving recognition to the gallant efforts of the Nigerian Army and Police in curbing insurgency and criminality. This is the gap we intend to fill,” Professor Akintola stated.
“Fictional Fatalities, Factual Failures” – Analyst
Tersoo Chiahemen, a public affairs commentator and criminology expert, questioned the ethics and integrity of Amnesty International in addressing sensitive national issues.
He noted that the report lacks methodological clarity, is riddled with inflated figures, and is dangerously divisive in its conclusions.
Chiahemen stressed that the report warrants not only a formal response from the Nigerian government and patriotic Nigerians, but also from the international community and Amnesty’s own leadership. He called for the report to be subjected to an independent audit, with public disclosure of its sources and methodologies.
He condemned the report in strong terms, saying it creates unnecessary panic with sensational and unverified claims—such as alleging over 10,000 deaths caused by armed groups in Northern Nigeria, and asserting that 98% of those fatalities occurred in just two states since Tinubu took office.
Conclusion
Despite the negative reactions to Amnesty International’s report on the dire state of security in Nigeria, there is a pressing need for the Tinubu administration to intensify its efforts to combat ongoing insecurity.
In the states mentioned in the report—such as Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and Benue—the security threats remain serious and persistent.
President Tinubu must also be reminded of his campaign promise to enhance national security.
The Amnesty report, regardless of criticism, should be examined objectively rather than being outrightly dismissed.
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