Northern Nigeria Attacks: 323 Killed, Amnesty Blames Govt

According to Amnesty International, at least 323 people were killed in attacks on rural communities across six northern Nigerian states during the first 20 days of February. The human rights organization announced the figures in a statement posted on its official X account on Saturday, detailing violence in Benue, Katsina, Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states.

Amnesty International described a consistent method in these assaults: armed gunmen, frequently arriving on motorcycles and heavily armed, enter villages to shoot residents, abduct women and girls, burn houses, steal livestock, destroy farm produce, and kidnap villagers for ransom. The group noted that recent attacks were sometimes preceded by “warning letters” from armed groups and can extend for hours. For example, in Niger State, an assault reportedly started around 3:00 a.m. and lasted until about 10:00 a.m.

Since 2020, Amnesty has documented a disturbing pattern of such attacks on rural communities in Nigeria. Most villagers interviewed by the organization said the government left them defenseless against these raids. “Incessant killings and the shocking failure of the authorities to end them and bring suspected perpetrators to justice have been and continues to be a threat to the right to life in Nigeria,” the statement read.

The escalating death toll indicates that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has no effective plan to stop years of atrocities by armed groups, which have killed thousands across the region. Amnesty stressed that the Nigerian government bears a constitutional duty to protect lives and property, a responsibility it is failing. “The rising death toll in the north of Nigeria shows just how badly the authorities are failing in this responsibility,” the group stated.

This persistent violence in northern Nigeria’s rural areas highlights a severe security gap, with communities exposed to repeated attacks without adequate state protection. Amnesty International urges immediate government action to establish a coherent strategy for civilian safety, thorough investigations, and prosecution of perpetrators. Addressing the underlying drivers of conflict and ensuring accountability is critical to upholding the right to life in the region.