Press Release
Amnesty International has raised alarm over Nigeria’s escalating security crisis, warning that the situation in several northern states is “increasingly getting out of hand.”
The human rights organization said rural communities are living in constant fear of violent attacks, as gunmen continue to kill, abduct for ransom, rape women, destroy homes, and loot valuables.
According to Amnesty International, the violence has intensified this week, with reported incidents in Kwara, Katsina, Benue, and Kaduna states.
In Kaduna, gunmen invaded Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area, killing three people and abducting a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Nathaniel Asuwaye, along with ten others.
In Kagarko Local Government Area, the Chief Imam of Janjala Central Mosque, Malam Bello Abdullahi, and a local Fulani leader, Alhaji Shehu Bello, were also abducted.
Villagers interviewed by Amnesty International described frequent confrontations with attackers armed with sophisticated weapons.
Many residents expressed fear and frustration over the government’s inability to protect their lives.
The organization criticized the Nigerian government for “gross incompetence” in handling the worsening insecurity, saying that authorities have largely failed in their constitutional and international human rights obligations to protect citizens.
Amnesty International further noted that victims of human rights violations rarely receive justice, as suspected perpetrators often remain at large, allowing impunity to flourish and violence to spread.
“The government’s failure to safeguard lives and ensure access to justice for victims is unacceptable,” the organization said in a statement.
The situation underscores the urgent need for coordinated security interventions and accountability mechanisms to curb violence in Nigeria’s rural communities.
Without decisive action, Amnesty International warns, more communities could continue to suffer devastating attacks.
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