A harrowing report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has revealed that no fewer than 200 defenseless civilians fell victim to brutal attacks by gunmen and extremists across Nigeria in January 2024 alone. The report highlights incidents including assaults on Barkin Ladi and Bokkos areas of Plateau State.
According to the Intersociety report released to SaharaReporters, the armed assailants not only perpetrated violence but also engaged in a disturbing practice of renaming villages they ravaged. For instance, villages like Rankum renamed to Mahanga, Fass in Riyom to Tafawa, and Gwoi in Barkin Ladi to Lugere, among others, were mentioned.
The report, issued on Wednesday, calls upon the international community to escalate campaigns against ethno-religious persecution in Nigeria. It urges President Bola Tinubu’s administration to uphold religious freedom and human rights.
Detailing the grim reality faced by Nigerian communities, the report underscores the plight of Plateau State’s Christian villages, many of which have been displaced and renamed. These renamed villages now serve as bases for further attacks by Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in the state.
Over the past 13 months (from January 2023 to January 2024), attacks on defenseless Nigerians have resulted in the destruction of over 20,000 houses and displacement of more than 500 communities across ten severely affected states. The report singles out Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, as well as other regions like Niger, Taraba, and Borno, among others.
The report also condemns the apparent impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators, alleging negligence by Nigerian Security Forces (NSFs) and a bias favoring cattle protection over human lives. It accuses the Nigerian military of blatant partisanship in massacring civilians.
Among the recommendations put forth by the Intersociety report are urgent calls for UN intervention, including the appointment of a Special Emergency Envoy and authorization for a comprehensive UN-backed Commission of Inquiry. This inquiry aims to investigate systematic ethno-religious attacks and bring perpetrators, including state actors, to justice.
Additionally, the report calls for the appointment of Special Representatives on Nigeria by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to investigate the plight of millions of displaced Nigerians, particularly Christians and moderate Muslims.
The proposed UN-backed investigations, if implemented, are expected to culminate in referrals to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for criminal proceedings against individual and group perpetrators, including state actors and non-state entities like MACBAN and FUNAM, under Chapter Seven (V11) of the UN Charter of 1945.
