Plateau State, Nigeria, was the scene of a series of deadly attacks by armed groups between Saturday evening and Tuesday morning. The death toll figures are increasing every day, with now 198 victims recorded.
The attacks were particularly violent, with villagers massacred in cold blood in several villages in the region. According to local authorities, 148 people were killed in Bokkos, while at least 50 others lost their lives in four villages in Barkin Ladi constituency. The number of injured rose to 500, and thousands of people were forced to flee their homes.
Faced with this alarming situation, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu gave clear instructions to the country’s security agencies: to intervene immediately, track down those responsible for these attacks and put them out of harm’s way. The presidency strongly condemned these acts, promising to do everything possible to restore security to the region.
These attacks are unfortunately not an isolated case in this part of Nigeria. For several years, the populations of the northwest and center of the country have lived in terror of jihadist groups and criminal gangs, who sow violence and insecurity in villages, killing and kidnapping innocent inhabitants.
This violence is also linked to fierce competition between herders and farmers for access to land. Farmers accuse herders of devastating their crops with their livestock, leading to tensions and bloody clashes.
Faced with this worrying situation, it is essential that the Nigerian authorities act quickly and effectively to put an end to these attacks and protect vulnerable populations. International and regional cooperation is also necessary to combat terrorism and promote sustainable development in the region.
Let us hope that concrete measures will be taken to bring peace and security to Plateau State, and more broadly throughout Nigeria. The victims deserve justice, and people must be able to live in peace and security in their own country.