In a harrowing sequence of events, armed factions have unleashed violence across central Nigeria, resulting in the tragic demise of over 100 individuals. This distressing incident underscores the lingering religious and ethnic tensions that plague this region.
Updating on the grim aftermath, local authorities revealed that the death toll from these weekend onslaughts has surged to 113, a stark escalation from the government’s initial estimate of 16 casualties. Monday Kassah, overseeing Bokkos in Plateau State, conveyed to Agence France-Presse that the assaults persisted from Saturday into the early hours of Monday, with over 300 individuals sustaining injuries.
These meticulously orchestrated attacks spanned approximately 20 communities, as Kassah described the coordinated onslaughts. Gyang Bere, representing Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang, asserted, “Immediate and strategic measures will be instated by the government to thwart further assaults on civilians.”
While the perpetrators remain unidentified, Kassah emphasized that the wounded have been promptly transported to medical facilities. Notably, Plateau represents a pivotal entity within Nigeria’s religiously and ethnically multifaceted Middle Belt. The confluence of climate change impacts and expanding agricultural endeavors has exacerbated tensions between Muslim pastoralists and Christian agriculturists, resulting in numerous fatalities from communal clashes.
Responding to the escalating violence, Amnesty International denounced the recurrent fatal attacks on Plateau state’s rural communities, highlighting governmental inadequacies in curbing such tragedies. The nation’s northern and central sectors remain ensnared in turmoil, with armed entities operating amidst accusations of governmental transgressions.
In a related development, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu mandated an inquiry subsequent to a military drone’s inadvertent strike, claiming 85 civilian lives during a religious congregation. Expressing remorse over the “bombing mishap,” Tinubu initiated an investigation, while Kaduna Governor Uba Sani clarified that the casualties ensued from a misdirected drone intended for “terrorists and bandits.”
