At least 2,600 people, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives in attacks on 50 communities in Benue State between January 2023 and February 2024, according to Amnesty International. This alarming statistic was revealed by Amnesty International Programme Director, Mrs. Barbara Magaji, during a photo exhibition and press conference held on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Magaji highlighted that 18 out of the 23 local government areas (LGAs) in Benue are under constant security threats from armed attackers. These relentless attacks are devastating the livelihoods of farming communities, leading to widespread displacement and severely affecting food security.
“These displacements are having significant and adverse effects on the right to livelihoods, and depriving thousands of children of the right to education and development,” Magaji stated. She also noted that as of March 2023, Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and host communities were accommodating a total of 489,245 IDPs.
The impact on education has been particularly severe, with the state’s Ministry of Education and the Teaching Service Board reporting that at least 55 schools have been destroyed or closed due to insecurity, leaving hundreds of children out of school.
Magaji called on Nigerian authorities to take immediate action to end the attacks in Benue and fulfil their duty to protect lives. She emphasized the necessity for thorough investigations into the attacks and the prosecution of perpetrators to deliver justice to the victims and their families.
“Nigerian authorities must ensure that suspected perpetrators of human rights abuses are brought to justice through fair trial. Nigerian authorities must investigate the security lapses that enabled gunmen to carry out attacks and get away with it. People who are displaced must be provided with adequate humanitarian support, standard of living and children’s education must be continued,” she urged.
In a show of solidarity, Lt. Col. R.B. Kefas, Commanding Officer of the 72 Special Forces Battalion, represented by Lt. Danjuma Abba, assured that efforts to curb criminality in crisis-prone areas would be sustained. Additionally, the Commissioner of Police in Benue, Mr. Steve Yabanet, represented by Deputy Commissioner Mr. Okon Asuquo, reiterated that the police are working tirelessly to minimize criminal activities in the state.
