In yet another devastating outbreak of violence in Nigeria’s restive Plateau state, at least 51 people were killed in the early hours of Monday in the Bassa district, residents and Amnesty International confirmed. The deadly assault comes just two weeks after a series of similar attacks in the state claimed at least 52 lives and displaced nearly 2,000 individuals.
According to local residents, the latest massacre took place in the Zikke and Kimakpa villages, where armed assailants stormed the communities under the cover of darkness. Bodies of the victims have been recovered, and several others were reportedly injured.
“A mass burial is currently underway. There is outrage in the land at the moment,” said Joseph Chudu Yonkpa, a resident of the area, who alleged that the attackers were cattle herders.
While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, the region has long been plagued by violent clashes between nomadic herders and farming communities, often escalating due to underlying ethnic and religious tensions. Plateau, situated in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, is an ethnically diverse region frequently hit by such conflicts, which are also fueled by competition for land and dwindling natural resources exacerbated by climate change.
Amnesty International Nigeria strongly condemned the killings, highlighting what it described as a gross failure in protecting the vulnerable population.
“The inexcusable security lapses that enabled this horrific attack, two weeks after the killing of 52 people, must be investigated,” the rights group said in a statement. It also reported that homes were looted and set ablaze by the attackers.
Albert Garba Samuel, spokesperson for the Jere Nation Youths Development Association, decried the brutal attack, stating, “No community deserves to go through such trauma, bloodshed, and destruction.”
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement. Police officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As tensions remain high in the wake of repeated attacks, community leaders and rights organizations are urging swift government action to address the root causes of the violence and ensure justice for the victims.
Sources By Agencies
