•Asks government to match its promises with concrete action

Human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has condemned the federal government’s failure to stem the spiralling violence and humanitarian crisis across the country, revealing that at least 10,217 people have been killed in attacks by armed groups since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago.

In a damning report released yesterday, the organisation said the government’s inaction has allowed criminal gangs, insurgents, and bandits to wreak havoc in rural communities, leaving a trail of destruction, displacement, and death.

“Today marks exactly two 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,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

According to the report, Benue State has suffered the heaviest toll, with 6,896 people killed, followed by Plateau State with 2,630 deaths.

In total, 672 villages have been sacked in Benue, Plateau, and Zamfara states, while over 450,000 people have been displaced, their lives shattered by persistent attacks.

Amnesty’s findings paint a grim picture of a nation gripped by fear and lawlessness.

The statement added that in Zamfara State, 529 villages remain under the control of bandits, with 273 people killed and 467 abducted in two years.

It added that in Katsina State, at least 294 people were killed and 306 abducted, mostly women and girls.

“The violence has been particularly brutal in Benue and Plateau states, where entire communities have been wiped out, boreholes, clinics, and schools destroyed, and farmlands left untended. The resulting displacement and loss of livelihoods have pushed thousands into destitution, with many forced to beg for survival.

“The authorities’ failure to hold suspected perpetrators accountable is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Time is running out, as gunmen, bandits, and insurgents are ramping up attacks daily. The nationwide bloodshed must end now,” Sanusi warned.

The report also highlighted the emergence of new armed groups, such as Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and Mamuda in Kwara State, further complicating the security crisis.

Survivors of attacks in Sokoto, Katsina, and Zamfara states told Amnesty of the unbearable burden of paying “levies” to gunmen to avoid death.

Also, a resident of Maru Local Government in Zamfara State lamented: “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed. That is all they do.”

Amnesty International called on the Nigerian government to match its promises with concrete action to protect lives, investigate atrocities, and provide justice for victims.

“Authorities must move swiftly to guarantee the human rights of everyone in Nigeria if they are to be taken seriously on their oft-expressed commitment to stop the killings, violence, abductions, and other human rights crimes in several parts of the country,” Sanusi added.

The human rights organisation, which has monitored Nigeria’s security crisis since 2016, warned that unless urgent steps are taken, the humanitarian disaster will worsen, plunging more communities into fear and deprivation.