2,600 people killed in attacks in Benue communities in one year – Amnesty Int’l

Amnesty International said on Wednesday at least 2,600 people, mostly women and children, had been killed following attacks on 50 Benue communities in the past year.

Amnesty International Program Director, Mrs Barbara Magaji, revealed this during a photo exhibition and press conference in Makurdi.

He said 18 of the 23 local government areas in the state were under constant security threat from armed attackers.

According to him, the attack occurred between January 2023 and February this year.

Magaji said: “These attacks have seriously affected food security and livelihoods as the affected communities are farmers and displacement means they are unable to carry out any agricultural activities.

“This displacement has a significant and detrimental impact on the right to livelihood, and deprives thousands of children of their right to education and development.

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“As of March 2023 when the last count and documentation was carried out, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and host communities hosted a total of 489,245 refugees.”

The Amnesty director, citing reports from the Ministry of Education and the Teaching Services Council, said at least 55 schools had been destroyed by armed bandits or closed due to insecurity, causing hundreds of children to drop out of school.

He stressed the need for Nigerian authorities to end the attacks in Benue State.

He urged governments at all levels to investigate the attacks and obtain justice for the victims and their families.

“Nigerian authorities must ensure that alleged perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice through fair trials.

“Nigerian authorities must investigate the security weaknesses that allowed gunmen to carry out attacks and get away with it.

“Displaced people must be provided with adequate humanitarian support, and the standard of living and education of children must be continued,” Magaji said.

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