Amnesty International has revealed that over 10,217 Nigerians have been killed in attacks by armed groups since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office two years ago.
The human rights organization stated that Benue State recorded the highest number of deaths with 6,896 fatalities, followed by Plateau State with at least 2,630.
According to the report, the violence has escalated despite President Tinubu’s promise to improve national security.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, said, “Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security.”
“Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty and the security of tens of thousands of people across the country.”
Sanusi emphasized the need for urgent action in light of the resurgence of threats from Boko Haram and other armed groups.
He noted that “recent escalations by Boko Haram and other armed groups indicate the current security measures are ineffective.”
During the period under review, Amnesty reported the rise of new armed groups such as Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states and Mamuda in Kwara state.
Hundreds of communities across Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau, and Zamfara have suffered devastating attacks.
In Zamfara alone, 638 villages were destroyed, while 725 villages remain under bandit control across 13 local government areas.
The report further highlighted that over 273 people were killed and 467 abducted in Zamfara within the last two years.
Maru local government area witnessed severe attacks, including one on April 24, 2025, where over 20 miners were killed at Gobirawar Chali. In Kebbi State, the Lakurawa group was linked to 70 deaths in 22 attacks.
Benue and Plateau states, in particular, suffered alarming levels of violence. In Bokkos, Plateau State, a deadly coordinated attack on April 3, 2025, resulted in the deaths of entire families.
In Benue, communities were not only attacked but also stripped of critical infrastructure.
“Attackers have destroyed boreholes, clinics, schools, grain reserves, and places of worship in addition to killing residents,” Amnesty stated.
The humanitarian toll is staggering. All 23 local government areas in Benue State have faced assaults, displacing approximately 450,000 people.
In Plateau, about 65,000 people have been displaced in 38 attacks in just two years. Many victims have suffered repeated violence, including assaults on IDP camps.
“The humanitarian situation is worsening as most affected are farmers who have lost access to their land, threatening food security,” Amnesty noted.
Many displaced individuals in Plateau and Katsina now rely on begging to survive. In Zamfara’s Dangulbi district, farmers are unable to sell their sweet potato harvests due to insecurity.
“These attacks deprive people of their right to life while the survivors are deprived of their livelihood,” Sanusi said.
In Sokoto’s Isa local government area, four villages were overrun by gunmen between May 9 and 11, displacing residents and exacerbating hunger.
The report also described how armed groups are now demanding levies via phone threats in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina, with non-compliance punishable by death.
Frustration over the government’s perceived inaction is widespread. A resident from Maru, Zamfara said, “The only relationship between us and the government is that they issue media statements after we are attacked and killed.”
“That is all they do. When the next attack comes, they will issue another empty statement while bandits escalate their atrocities. We are helpless.”
Amnesty International reminded the Nigerian government of its obligations under international law to protect lives and ensure justice for victims.
“Authorities must move swiftly to match their words with serious and concrete action to guarantee the human rights of everyone in Nigeria if they are to be taken seriously on their oft-expressed commitment to stop the killings, violence, abductions and other human rights crimes in several parts of the country,” said Sanusi.
He warned that unchecked impunity is worsening insecurity and urged immediate action to stop the violence. “Time is running out,” he stressed.
Amnesty International has been documenting Nigeria’s security crisis since 2016 and continues to call for accountability and protection for vulnerable rural communities.
