Amnesty International has said at least 10,217 people were killed in attacks by gunmen across seven Nigerian states during the first two years of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The rights organisation disclosed this in a statement shared on Monday, raising fresh concerns over the worsening security situation in the country.
According to Amnesty International, the affected states are Benue, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara, with Benue recording the highest number of deaths. Plateau State followed, with 2,630 people reportedly killed during the period under review.
The organisation also accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect citizens despite the government’s promise to improve national security.
“It is now over three years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” Amnesty said.
Amnesty further said the security crisis had resulted in the emergence of new armed groups, identifying Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states and Mamuda in Kwara State.
It added that hundreds of communities had been sacked by armed groups in Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau and Zamfara states, warning that the continued attacks were creating a looming humanitarian crisis.
The rights group said many displaced persons were struggling to survive, particularly in Plateau and Katsina states.
“The majority of those displaced in Plateau and Katsina states told Amnesty International that they had to resort to begging to survive daily life,” the organisation said.
Amnesty also cited the situation in Dangulbi district of Zamfara State, where bandit attacks have reportedly prevented farmers from transporting their produce to markets.
The organisation said farmers in the area had been forced to watch their harvests rot because of restrictions imposed by armed groups.
Beyond the loss of lives and displacement, Amnesty said the insecurity was also undermining livelihoods and access to basic rights, particularly in rural communities.
It stressed that under international human rights law, Nigerian authorities have an obligation to protect citizens, ensure that suspected perpetrators of killings are brought to justice and provide victims with effective remedies.
“Again and again, the Nigerian authorities are failing to live up to these obligations,” Amnesty stated.
The latest assessment comes amid continued attacks and displacement across parts of Nigeria, with insecurity remaining one of the major challenges confronting the Tinubu administration.
