The Stefanos Foundation, a non-governmental organisation focused on human rights and peace building, has produced a report stating that 217 attacks from 34 states were registered in Nigeria between January and April 2023, resulting in 1,872 deaths, 714 abductions, and 65 injured people.
The report emphasised the critical need for immediate action to address the root causes of the violence.
Ms. Fatima Njoku, Advocacy Manager at Stefanos Foundation, stated during a press conference in Abuja on Friday that the worrisome upsurge in violence throughout the country is cause for concern, particularly given that Nigeria is not at war.
She said, “A situation where armless, defenceless people are attacked in the middle of the night, killed with guns and machetes, houses burned down with their property looted, and entire communities wholly displaced is unacceptable in any civilised clime. It is even worse when the attackers are not apprehended, let alone prosecuted.
“From eyewitness reports and testimonies of direct victims across the board, we can say that the attacks are carried out in literally the same style, with attackers dressed in similar fashion and victims with similar profiles.
“This has happened in Agatu, Guma, Logo in Benue State, Kagoro, Zangon Kataf, Kajuru, Kafanchan in southern Kaduna, Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, and now Mangu in Plateau State, and the list goes on.”
During the joint press conference, Chief Joseph Gwankat, National President of the Mwaghavul Development Association, asked for prompt action to solve the violence in their villages.
He emphasised the severity of the violence and the importance of the government addressing the root causes.
