Amnesty International, AI, has stated that over 2, 600 people, mostly women and children have been killed by armed herdsmen between January 2023 and February 2024 in Benue State. This is even as the AI decried the ceaseless armed herdsmen attacks in the State.
According to the organization, between January 2023 and February 2024, over 2,600 persons, mostly children and women were murdered in over 50 Communities.
This was revealed by the Program Manager of AI Nigeria, Barbara Magaji who raised the concern Wednesday in Makurdi.
The Program Manager stated this during the presentation of the research findings on the attacks in Benue State. She pointed out that the incursions by the bandits have left hundreds displaced, some wounded, raped and others kidnapped.
Mogaji pointed that “50 rural communities in the State recorded at least 135 attacks. Which led to the deaths of over 2,600 people. Many of whom were women and children.” She added that development has left hundreds displaced, wounded, raped and others kidnapped.
The Program Manager said, “Benue State has 23 Local Government Areas, LGAs. Out of which 18 have been affected by insecurity and face continuous attacks by armed attackers.
“These attacks are significantly affecting food security and livelihood. Because the affected communities are farmers and displacement make them unable to carry out any farming activity.”
Mogaji added that the incursions had also led to the destruction of over 55 schools across the State. Thereby, leaving hundreds of children out of school.
She, therefore, called on the Federal Government to put an end to the attacks in the State. She also urged the Government to conduct impartial investigation into the carnage and ensure justice for the victims, survivors and their families.
Mogaji said, “Nigerian authorities must ensure that suspected perpetrators of human rights abuses in the State resulting from the attacks are brought to justice through fair trial.
“Nigerian authorities must investigate the security lapses that enabled gunmen to carry out these attacks and get away with it. Those with responsibility for protecting lives and property must be held to account.
“People displaced must be provided with adequate humanitarian support. And standard of living and children’s education must be continued.
She maintained that special attention must be paid to how the conflict affects children. And a plan must be made to protect their rights. She warned that the attacks and conflict in Benue State must never happen again.
Speaking at the event, the Director General, Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, BICD, Leo-Angelo Viashima, who represented Governor Hyacinth Alia, said the administration had made the Benue IDPs situation a global concern.
He stated that this was achieved following the Governor’s meeting with over 50 international partners. These are groups that had shown commitment to the humanitarian situation in the State.
Viashima, said the determination was borne out of the desire to ensure an end to the attacks in the State. And to have the displaced persons return to their ancestral homes to engage in farming activities.
He noted that the State was enjoying relative peace until the activities of the armed herdsmen. He, however, stated that the State Government had already set in motion process of having the IDPs relocate to befitting environment and their ancestral homes. Stressing that the ongoing construction of rural roads across the State was part of that initiative to ensure access to the communities by security operative in the event of an emergency.
source: Vanguard
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