Amnesty International has strongly criticized the Nigerian government over the recent wave of killings in Plateau State, highlighting what it describes as a failure to protect citizens. The organization’s statement comes after an attack on Friday, 3 April, in which gunmen ambushed and killed three young men in Nyangom Gel, Jos South Local Government Area. This incident follows another deadly attack days prior in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North, where gunmen killed approximately 30 people, marking one of the deadliest events in the state in recent weeks.
Amnesty International has pointed to the pattern of violence and the delayed security response as indicative of systemic gaps in protecting vulnerable communities. The organization also noted that security forces were often absent during the attacks, arriving only after the attackers had fled. Affected communities reported that their villages had been attacked repeatedly, up to six times in some cases.
The situation in Plateau State is part of a broader trend of violence affecting both rural and urban areas. Between December 2023 and February 2024, at least 1,336 people were killed in the state, including 533 women, 263 children, and 540 men. Over 29,000 people were displaced. These figures, according to Amnesty International, underscore the scale of the crisis and the need for urgent intervention.
The organization has called on Nigerian authorities to take concrete steps to prevent further attacks and ensure accountability. It has demanded thorough, independent, and impartial investigations into the Angwan Rukuba killings and other recent incidents. Amnesty International also called for suspected perpetrators to be brought to justice and for victims and survivors to receive adequate compensation. The group emphasized that the mass burial of victims is a stark reminder of the failure of authorities to protect lives.
Despite assurances from President Bola Tinubu and security agencies that the situation is under control, fresh incidents, including the recent killings in Jos South, have continued to emerge. This has raised concerns among residents and civil society groups about the effectiveness of current security measures and the government’s ability to prevent further violence.
Source: allafrica
