ABOUT 1,126 were reported to have been killed in Northern Nigeria by bandits between January and June 2020, Amnesty International said in a new report on Monday.
In the report, Nigeria: Government failings leave rural communities at the mercy of gunmen, the human rights organisation said it interviewed civilians in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states, who said they live in fear of attacks and abductions as insecurity escalates in rural areas.
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, AI said in the report.
It stated that villages in the Southern Kaduna area are worst affected by these attacks, where armed men killed at least 366 people in multiple attacks between January and July 2020.
Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said the ongoing failure of security forces to take sufficient steps to protect villagers from these predictable attacks is 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,” Ojigho said.
“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 report also stated that 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, Northeast Nigeria.
It added that at least 74 people were reportedly killed in Sokoto State on May 28, when gunmen attacked four villages in Sabon Birni Local Government Area.
The report indicates that People of Tsalka, Garin fadama and Kamarawa in Isa Local Government area of Sokoto State and other villages are still crossing the river daily into Niger Republic as a result of incessant attacks by armed bandits.
In Southern Kaduna, the report stated that despite the curfew imposed on the area by Nasir El-Rufai, the Governor of the in June, killings have gone unabated.
“In response to increasing violence in the South of Kaduna State, the State Governor imposed a 24-hour curfew in affected communities in June 2020, but attacks have continued. Violence has been on and off in southern Kaduna since the aftermath of 2011 elections and authorities have failed to both end the violence or bring the perpetrators to justice.
“On 6 August at least 22 people were reported killed when gunmen suspected to be herders attacked four communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state.
“More than 100 people were killed in July during 11 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.
The Amnesty International said its findings showed that the attacks in Kaduna, Plateau and Katsina states were well coordinated.
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