Over 140 people are now confirmed dead from the attacks that took place in the central Nigerian state of Plateau over the weekend.
Local official said on Monday that the death toll has risen following the attack in a region well known for clashes between herders and farmers.
Rights group, Amnesty International in Nigeria said “more dead bodies of those who tried to escape the attacks are [being] found by search teams.”
Death toll from the deadly Christmas attack on 20 communities in Plateau state rises to over 140, as more dead bodies of those who tried to escape the attacks are found by search teams. pic.twitter.com/oMG0KSiDVS
— Amnesty International Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) December 26, 2023
This latest violence is the worst in Plateau since May, when more than 100 people were killed in farmer-herder attacks.
The acting chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Monday Kassah, told AFP that over 100 people had been killed in the attacks on Saturday and Sunday.
“The attacks were well-coordinated. Not fewer than 20 different communities were attacked by the bandits,” he said.
“We have recovered 113 dead bodies from those communities. We have recovered more than 300 injured.”
Kassah did not say who was responsible for the attacks. He added that the injured had been taken to hospital.
Amnesty International said in a statement that “The Nigerian authorities are obliged under international human rights law, regional human rights treaties and Nigeria’s own constitution to protect the human rights of all people without discrimination — and that includes the right to life.”
Plateau is however one of several ethnically and religiously diverse hinterland states and violence is often painted as ethno-religious conflict between Muslim herders and mainly Christian farmers.
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Source: Africafeeds.com
