Clashes in central Nigeria killed 85, displayed thousands

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 May 2023 21:18

The crisis is only one of several security concerns that President-elect Bola Tinubu will face when he takes office in Africa's most populous country later this month.

Security personnel stand guard in the Kukawa Village in the Kanam Local Government Area of the Plateau state on April 12, 2022, after residents’ houses were burnt down during an attack by bandits (AFP)

More than 3,000 people have been displaced in central Nigeria as a result of continuous clashes between herders and farmers, as per officials.

The violence began on Monday, with an initial death toll of 30, in multiple villages of Plateau State, a region that has long been riven by ethnic and religious strife.

According to local sources and witnesses, many villages in Plateau state's Mangu area were still engulfed in violence on Thursday, with inhabitants fleeing.

The crisis is only one of several security concerns that President-elect Bola Tinubu will face when he takes office in Africa's most populous country later this month.

It was unclear what ignited this week's attacks in Mangu, but tit-for-tat killings between herders and farmers often spiral into village raids by heavily armed gangs.

"Eighty-five bodies (were) recovered," the chairman of the local government council Daput Minister Daniel said as quoted by AFP.

Joseph Gwankat, a community leader from the local Mwaghavul Development Association, gave the same toll.

A search and rescue team "discovered 85 dead bodies," he said as quoted by AFP.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said thousands of people were displaced and hundreds of houses were destroyed as a result of the violence.

"We got a total number of 3,683 (people) displaced," Eugene Nyelong, regional coordinator at NEMA, said as quoted by AFP, adding that emergency relief was on its way to those in need.

He went on to say that around 720 residences were either partially or entirely demolished.

Gwankat, the community leader, reported that 57 injured people were being treated in hospital, while Nyelong from NEMA said around 216 people had been wounded in the attacks.

Furthermore, police reported that five people had been detained in connection with the violence.

"Heavy security presence has been deployed," police spokesperson Alfred Alabo said. "So far calm has been restored to the general area."

However, a lawmaker from Mangu and neighboring Bokkos in the House of Representatives stated that tensions in the area continued.

"There were gunshots up to about two hours ago. People are running for their lives," Solomon Maren said as quoted by AFP early afternoon on Thursday.

He said the violence was being perpetrated by "hundreds" of individuals who are not from the communities and are "armed to the teeth."

"We have 17 communities that have been ravaged completely... So far over 100 people are dead," said Maren.

The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), which visited the area on Wednesday, warned of the dire situation in the region.

"We could see houses that were still burning," Juni Bala, director of search and rescue at SEMA, said as quoted by AFP. "We couldn't go further because (the) youth were angry."

"The situation on the ground is very bad. Children and women by (the) thousands were moving on the road," he said. "They need shelter, food, beddings, non-food items."

Meanwhile, the Nigerian branch of the rights group Amnesty International denounced the violence.

"These deplorable attacks took place at a time when the affected farming communities in Mangu were cultivating their farms and demonstrate complete disregard for human life," Amnesty Nigeria said in a tweet.

Amnesty International strongly condemns the horrific attack on some communities of #Mangu LGA in #Plateau state, which lead to death of at least 85 people, as a search is ongoing for dozens of people missing since the attack.
— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) May 17, 2023