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KILLINGS: Amnesty Int’l lists 5 questions Buhari govt must answer as UN reacts

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KILLINGS: 17 times Buhari promised to bring perpetrators to book, secure lives of Nigerians...without results

Following the frightening incidences of wanton killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen across Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt states, Amnesty International (AI) has raised five questions it says President Muhammadu Buhari’s government should provide answers to.

The international body wants Buhari’s administration to explain, “who are these attackers, where do they come from, where do they go after attacks, who arms them, why is security forces’ response time very slow?”

Director AI Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, stated this in a report released by the international agency on Thursday, suggesting that the current administration’s failures to hold murderers to account, has been encouraging impunity that is fuelling rising insecurity across the country.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on Thursday also reacted to the killings in countries across West and Central Africa, particularly the Plateau attacks.

He stated that such attacks targeting civilians violate international humanitarian law

On it’s part, Amnesty International hinted that its independently verified estimated figures showed that since January 2018 that “at least 1,813 people had been murdered in 17 states, which is double the 894 people killed in 2017.”

Ojigho said, “The death tolls reflect killings as a result of farmers-herders conflict, communal clashes, Boko Haram attacks and banditry. We are gravely concerned about the rising spate of killings across the country, especially the communal clashes between farmers and herders and attacks by bandits across at least 17 states.

“The authorities have a responsibility to protect lives and property, but they are clearly not doing enough going by what is happening.

“The latest incident in Plateau State, where armed gunmen attacked 11 villages on June 23 for at least seven hours and killed at least 200 villagers without intervention from security forces should be investigated. That the violence in Plateau started after an attack, which was followed by reprisals from Thursday, June 21 shows unacceptable security lapses.

“Despite the deployment of security forces, including the military in over 30 states, the escalation of these attacks shows that whatever is being done by authorities is not working. There is urgent need for people who are suspected of committing crimes to be held accountable.

READ ALSO: PRESIDENCY TO PDP: Stop playing irresponsible politics, herdsmen killings not new

“We hope that President Buhari’s commitment to bring those suspected to be criminally responsible for the killings in Plateau State to justice will break the impunity that has spread through the country. In addition, government must answer these questions: who are these attackers, where do they come from, where do they go after attacks, who arms them, why is security forces’ response time very slow?”

He added, “Amnesty International’s investigations show worrying details of how frequently the security forces failed to protect villagers. In all cases Amnesty International investigated, the attackers, usually arriving in their hundreds spend hours killing people and setting houses on fire and then disappeared without a trace.”

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on Thursday also reacted to the activities of killer herdsmen in countries across West and Central Africa, particularly the Plateau attacks.

In a statement by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, he called on all concerned governments, regional organisations, civil society and other relevant actors to work concertedly to find adequate and lasting solutions to the conflicts.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the increasing frequency, intensity, complexity and geographic scope of violent conflict between farmers and herders, as well as related banditry, extortion and cattle rustling, in several countries across West and Central Africa.

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“He condemns the resulting loss of life, property and livelihoods, as well as population displacement, which undermines peaceful coexistence between communities in many of the affected countries. It is also detrimental to regional stability.

“The Secretary-General stresses that all attacks targeting civilians violate international humanitarian law.

He urges all concerned governments, regional organisations, civil society and other relevant actors to work together to find acceptable and lasting solutions to these conflicts, in full compliance with existing regional regulatory frameworks and international humanitarian and human rights law.”

 

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