UN deeply concerned about deadly plateau attacks, calls for thorough probe
The UN human rights chief expressed deep concern on Thursday regarding a series of attacks on villages in central Nigeria, resulting in nearly 200 deaths, according to local authorities.
Armed groups conducted these attacks between Saturday evening and Tuesday morning in Plateau State, an area long affected by religious and ethnic tensions.
Situated on the border between Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north and mostly Christian south, the region has been a focal point for such conflicts.
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UN rights chief Volker Turk issued a statement, stating, “I am deeply alarmed by the series of attacks by gunmen on multiple rural communities in Plateau State.”
Turk urged Nigerian authorities to promptly, thoroughly, and independently investigate the incident in accordance with international human rights law.
He also called for holding those responsible accountable through fair trials, emphasizing the need to break the cycle of impunity contributing to recurring violence.
Turk further urged the government to take meaningful steps to address the root causes underlying the violence and ensure its non-recurrence.
Northwest and central Nigeria have faced persistent threats from bandit militias operating from forest bases, engaging in looting and kidnapping for ransom in villages.
Competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, coupled with rapid population growth and climate pressures, has heightened social tensions and led to violence in the region.
Additionally, a jihadist conflict in northeastern Nigeria, ongoing since 2009, has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties and the displacement of around two million people.
President Bola Tinubu, who assumed office in May, has prioritized tackling insecurity to attract foreign investment to Africa’s most populous country.
The call for urgent action comes amid a complex web of challenges, including internal conflicts, resource competition, and the broader issue of ensuring stability and security in the region.
AFP