At least 140 Nigerian villagers killed in armed clashes

Africa, News December 28, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Several villagers have been killed by armed groups in the ongoing conflict between nomadic herders and farmers in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau state. The series of attacks, starting on Christmas Ever, have resulted in at least 140 deaths so far.

The authorities initially reported only 16 deaths, however, the number rose rapidly after reports started to come in from surrounding areas. Most deaths were reported from Bokkos, a city in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau State. The region has been plagued for several years by religious and ethnic tensions.

Military gangs, locally called “bandits,” launched “well-coordinated” attacks in “not fewer than 20 different communities” and torched houses too, Monday Kassah, head of the local government in Bokkos said in a statement.

Bandit militias, operating from deep forest bases, have been a persistent menace in northwest and central Nigeria, conducting raids on villages to pillage and abduct residents for ransom.

Although no specific group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, suspicions have been directed toward herders belonging to the Fulani tribe. This group has been accused of orchestrating mass killings in the northwest and central regions, exacerbating the long-standing conflict over land and water access. The protracted strife has further intensified the sectarian divide between Christians and Muslims in Africa’s most populous nation.

The attacks initially started in the Bokkos area and resulted in the deaths of at least 104 people. The attacks soon spread across the neighboring city of Barkin Ladi where 30 people were found dead, according to local chairman Danjuma Dakil.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang strongly denounced the violence, describing it as “barbaric, brutal, and unjustified.” The governor’s spokesperson, Gyang Bere, assured that the government would implement proactive measures to address the continuing attacks on innocent civilians.

Gunfire could still be heard in the areas that lie on the boundary between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

*^{Nigerian military secure an area in Maiduguri, Nigeria, on February 16, 2019. (Image Credit: Reuters)}*

Various human rights organizations have adopted a firm position regarding the Nigerian government’s response to the attacks. In the aftermath of the incidents, Amnesty International criticized the government, asserting on Twitter that “the Nigerian authorities have consistently fallen short in putting an end to frequent deadly attacks on rural communities in Plateau state.”

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, elected earlier this year with a commitment to address lingering security challenges, has directed security agencies to thoroughly comb every area of the zone and apprehend those responsible, as stated in an official communication from his office.

Additionally, Tinubu has mandated the swift mobilization of relief resources for the survivors and the immediate provision of medical care for the injured.