Latest news with #Benue
Zawya
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Nigeria: Violence and widespread displacement leave Benue facing a humanitarian disaster
At least 510,182 internally displaced people (IDPs) across Benue state Dire conditions in IDP camps Children and pregnant women amongst most vulnerable The Nigerian authorities must take urgent steps to avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the central state of Benue where attacks by gunmen have displaced at least 500,000 people, many of whom are languishing in squalid camps without access to sufficient water, poor sanitation, food and healthcare, Amnesty International said today. In the most recent attack on 14 June, gunmen raided the town of Yelewata, killing more than 100 people and forcing over 3,941 more to flee their homes. The smell of decomposing bodies hung in the air during a visit to the affected community by Amnesty International in the aftermath of the attacks. Signs of the recent violence were unmistakable with bullet shells littering the ground, and mass graves that had been newly dug to bury the dead. Survivors were seen carrying bags of grain, bundles of firewood and other household items as they sought safety and shelter in camps for internally displaced persons (IDP). According to interviews with IDPs in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum, Kwande, Logo, Guma and Makurdi IDP camps, as well as a makeshift IDP camp at Makurdi Modern Market, communities who come under attack are often left to fend for themselves with security forces only arriving long after the gunmen had left. 'The Nigerian authorities have failed the people of Benue state again and again. Rampant attacks by gunmen have deprived thousands of people of their rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, freedom of movement and access to livelihoods. Survivors of these harrowing attacks face the fresh torment of being displaced in overcrowded, unhygienic camps where disease runs rampant and essentials such as food and clean water are scarce,' said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. 'The situation risks creating a humanitarian disaster, which the authorities must urgently address by ensuring that people's essential needs are met by providing desperately needed aid.' Besides interviews with IDPs, Amnesty International also spoke to camps officials, medical workers and non-governmental organizations in the affected areas. It found that communities across Benue state, including Gwer West, Gwer-East, Agatu, Apa, Ukum, Kwande, Logo,and Guma, continue to face a brutal pattern of violence. This is typically unleashed at night, although daytime attacks also occur, with gunmen systematically overrunning villages, using firearms to carry out indiscriminate or targeted killings from a distance. This is accompanied by brutal close-range violence with machetes and knives used to inflict grievous injuries, including hand amputations. Misery of the IDP camps As of 31 December 2024, an estimated 500,182 people had fled to IDPs camps in Benue state to escape years of attacks by gunmen. More than 10,000 additional people have been displaced since the start of 2025 following attacks on communities in Gwer West, Agatu, Ukum (Gbagir), Kwande (Anwase), Logo, and Guma (Yelewata, Agan, and Gbajimba), among others. Amnesty International's visits to IDP camps reveal wholly inadequate shelter, exposing IDPs to harsh weather, overcrowding, and heightened risks of disease, as well as gender-based violence, including rape and domestic violence. Access to healthcare is also a major challenge in the IDP camps with a lack of treatment for the most common diseases and ailments, such as malaria, typhoid, and stomach ulcers. According to a camp official, births occur almost daily in the IDP camps, with many pregnant women requiring medical attention but also contracting infections because of inadequate hygiene facilities. An IDP told Amnesty International: 'If we don't get drugs, we just sit and watch the sick person helplessly.' Many children are unable to exercise their right to an education in the camps. 'Our children no longer go to school and there are no arrangements by the authorities to teach children in the IDP camp. The government should bring an end to insecurity in our local government area and Benue state. Before that, provide us with food and proper shelter at the IDP camps,' an IDP told Amnesty International. A camp official told Amnesty International that a makeshift school built in one of the camps had been shut down for over three years because camp authorities could not continue paying ad-hoc teachers their stipends. There are hundreds of minors who fled their homes due to attacks and now live without parental care. The children were separated from their families while fleeing attacks on their villages and communities. The authorities have been unable to provide these vulnerable children with a safe place to live and essential services. Two female IDPs told Amnesty International: 'When we arrived, they [my children] left. I do not know where they have gone. I can't speak with them; I don't have a phone….I have 8 children and because we do not have enough space here in the IDP camp, many of them have left me and I do not know where they are.' Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian authorities to take immediate steps to provide sufficient and accessible humanitarian support to the survivors of these attacks. Authorities must take steps to domesticate and effectively implement the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons within the country's legal system. 'The authorities' persistent failure to hold suspected perpetrators to account is fueling a cycle of impunity that is making everyone feel unsafe. Authorities must now end the growing culture of impunity for these attacks.' 'We call on the authorities to ensure that all people displaced because of the attacks in Benue state are provided with adequate relief, including protection, shelter, food, clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Authorities must ensure that all people who have suffered losses from the crisis are also provided with adequate compensation,' said Isa Sanusi. Background Amnesty International Nigeria has been monitoring the escalating bandit attacks and clashes between herders and farmers in Benue state since 2016. In 2020, the organization investigated the authorities' failure to protect rural communities from attacks, and in 2025, it investigated the mounting death toll and looming humanitarian crisis amid unchecked attacks by armed groups. Nigeria is state party to a number of treaties that guarantee the human rights of everybody in the country regardless of the circumstances. This includes the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights which requires Nigerian authorities to ensure equal access to amongst others the rights to housing, health, food, water, sanitation and education. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wetin dey behind increase in violent killings for Nigeria?
More Nigerians don die for di hands of jaguda pipo like terrorists and bandits for di first half of 2025 dan di numba wey kpai for di whole of 2024, according to official figure we di National Human Rights Commission bin release. More dan 2,266 pipo na im jaguda pipo kpai betwin January and June dis year, while di entire number for last year na about 2,194, Tony Ojukwu wey be di Executive Secretary of di NHRC tok. For only June 2025, di number of pipo wey die for violent attacks dey more dan 600, sake of mass killings for Yelewata in Benue State and communities for Plateau State. Dis NHRC report come out just some days afta anoda tori from Plateau State break say bandits kill plenty members of one vigilante group for Kanam Local Government Area. Some tori say di numba wey die reach 70. So wetin dey drive dis killings? Di wahala na a combination of different tins, according to Umar Aliyu, wey be ogbonge sabi pesin for security matter, and who be retired captain for di Nigeria Army. E get di issue of age-long crisis like di farmer/herder clashes, community land tuzzles, and more recently, banditry for di northwest region in particular. But e also get di issue of lack of action by di govment, and den sabotage. Herdsmen invasions, land grabbing and illegal mining For dis situations, herdsmen dey mobilise attacks for communities sake of allegations say dem kill or rustle dia cows or space to graze. E no be new tin for Nigeria but di mata don dey increase, di attacks don dey more dangerous as more pipo dey kpai. Some of di recent horrible killings for di central part of Nigeria don dey linked to di herdsmen palava but authorities don say e fit pass dat mata. BBC Pidgin bin don report accounts of pipo wey bin dey affected for previous attacks we happen for Benue State dis year, including di tori of one woman who say di jaguda pipo bin rape her eight times bifore day break, and anoda pesin wey lose six members of im family. Anoda example of dis na di Yelewata attack for June dis year, wey even get di attention of di head of di catholic Church Pope Leo XIV wey ask for prayers to restore security and peace. Official figures say di number of pipo wey die for di attack na about 200, but locals argue say e pass. For previous interview wit Channels TV, Govnor Hyacinth Alia say im no believe say di attacks na farmers and herdsmen wahala. E say di killers dey specialised and dem dey fight like pipo wey dey trained for guerrilla war. Govnor Alia bin also don tell tori pipo say dem go set up a panel wey go chook eye into di crisis and come up wit a white paper wey di goment go implement. "Dis white paper go help us to know who be di culprits, to know who be di sponsors, to identify di victims, and to see wia justice go dey applied," di govnor tok. Similar tin dey happen also for Plateau State, even though di govnor of di State bin tell BBC for one interview say e no believe say di issue na still herdsmen and farmers fight. One of such attacks happen for April dis year wia more dan 50 pipo kpai. Wetin dey happen na well-planned attack to pursue pipo from dia land and take over di place, Govnor Caleb Mutfwang tok. E say many communities dey for im state now wey di attackers don successfully take over, rename di communities and dey live dia. Again, e get di issue of illegal mining, wey di current minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, tell BBC Pidgin say e dey sure say some big men wey dey involve for mining for di kontri dey sponsor insecurity. "Wetin dey happen be say, dis criminal elites go buy gun give to some local criminals, dem go invade one community, shoot gun, maybe kill one or two pipo, and di pipo for dat community go run comot, den di criminals go enta and start to dig," Alake tok for di interview. E say goment go tackle dis by setting up new security outfit wey dia main work go be to tackle illegal mining. Lack of strong action by goment Oga Aliyu Umar say di failure of di Nigeria leadership to give clear objectives to di heads of di kontri armed forces, and make sure say dem dey deliver on dat objectives, follow for why Nigerians no dey see result for di security situation despite say di amount of security expenditure don increase well-well. "If my predecessor no achieve much for office and e stay for so much years, den I no get any prompt (or push) to do any beta wen I take over. But if my predecessor bin no achieve much and dem show am di way out, as I dey take over I go know say my job don dey cut out for me," Umar tok. "E dey sad to tok but I dey tell you say if di Nigeria armed forces na stock for di global stock market today, e no go sell for much. We fit deny am all we want, but dat na di truth." Capt. Umar say a situation wia by security expenses dey increase but di pipo wey dey handle di resources only get stories to tell instead of improved security, and dem go still keep dia office, "na di reason why we no dey see results and we no go eva get results like dat". Sabotage Several times, some top-top oga dem for govment including some state govnors don allege say some members of di Nigeria security outfits get hand for di insecurity for di kontri. Oga Umar say im work as a former intelligence officer show say dis no be just ordinary allegation, but na wetin dey happen true-true but di authorities no dey take am serious. "I bin once ask President Muahammadu Buhari say 'Your Excellency, Mr president wia is di law on sabotage and saboteurs for Nigeria?' As we dey tok now, dat question neva get ansa," e tok. "You don eva hear about such a law for dis kontri? No. Bicos probably di pipo wey suppose make di law dey work wit di saboteurs." "We no dey tok about suspicion now, but open, broad daylight sabotage and saboteurs, and di law dey silent on dem. Why? Food for thought." As long as di bad eggs for di military and even politicians continue to dey have a field day, and dia actions dey go unpunished, sabotage no go eva stop and insecurity go continue dey thrive, Umar tok. Goment tok-tok and wetin pipo feel no be di same Dis figures of violent killings wey di National Human Rights Commission publish, no tally wit wetin di goment of di kontri bin don tok say dem don improve di security situation. For inside one statement wey President Tinubu bin release for May dis year as e mark im mid-term for office, e tok say, "our administration don improve collaboration among security agencies, increase intelligence-driven operations, and welfare of our armed forces and security personnel." Similarly, di minister of state for defence Bello Matawalle, for May dis year say di Nigeria armed forces bin neutralise more dan 8,000 terrorists and bandits, arrest about 11,600 criminals, and recover more dan 10,000 weapons for 2024. But Oga Umar say e no be di job of govment to tok say security don improve well-well. "Na for di citizens, especially di ones wey dey live for rural areas, for dose ungoverned spaces wia you see bandits, terrorists and herdsmen even dey collect tax. Na dem go tell us true-true weda security don improve or not," e tok.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Focus on Africa Nigeria: What's behind Benue state attacks?
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to bring an end to the wave of killings in Benue state. It's believed that more than 200 people were killed in attacks across various communities. What's behind the increase in violence? Also, a young man from the DRC is on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church. Who was he and what did he do to achieve this? And we discuss the state of the book industry on the continent, following the first ever UNESCO report on the issue, with one of the authors of the report, Elitha van der Sandt and the internationally acclaimed Nigerian author, Lola Shoneyin. Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh, Sunita Nahar and Wedaeli Chibelushi Technical Producer: Chris Ablakwa Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi
Bloomberg
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Nigeria Orders Crackdown After Dozens Killed in Key Farm Region
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to hunt down the perpetrators of a massacre in a key food-producing region that's highlighted growing insecurity in the West African nation. Unidentified assailants killed more than 100 people in an attack in the southeastern state of Benue that began on the night of June 13 and lasted several hours, with homes set on fire and people shot, according to the police. Thousands of people have died in a yearslong conflict over access to land and water in Benue between nomadic herders and mostly sedentary farmers.
Washington Post
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Nigerian president orders crackdown on gangs after 150 killed in conflict-hit north
ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed security agencies to hunt down the perpetrators of a weekend attack that killed at least 150 people in the country's northcentral, as he faces growing pressure over a worsening security crisis. Tinubu visited Benue state, the site of the recent deadly attacks, seeking to calm tensions and promise justice for the victims. 'We will restore peace, rebuild, and bring the perpetrators to justice. You are not alone.' the Nigerian leader said on X.
