Massacres in Nigeria kill at least 160 people in dozens of villages

A burnt car and motorcycle after a militant attack in Bokkos, north-central Nigeria Photo: AP

Armed groups in central Nigeria as a result of A series of attacks on villages have killed at least 160 people, local government officials said Monday.

The attacks occurred in Plateau state, a region that has been plagued by religious and ethnic tensions for years. .

“At this moment I tell you that in Mangu local government alone we have buried 15 people. As of this morning, we have counted at least 100 corpses in Bokkos. I have yet to tally up [the deaths in] Barkin Ladi,” said Governor Caleb Mutfwang. “It was a very terrible Christmas for us here on the Plateau.”

Military gangs, referred to locally as «bandits», launched «well-coordinated» attacks in «at least 20 different localities» and set houses on fire. , officials said.

According to preliminary data from the local Red Cross, 104 people were killed in 18 villages in the Bokkos region.

Dixon Chollom, a member of state parliament, said several villages in the Barkin region Ladi also killed at least 50 people.

He condemned the attacks and called on security forces to act quickly.

A man inspects a burnt house after a militant attack in Bokkos. Photo: AP

“We will not succumb to the tactics of these merchants of death. We are united in the pursuit of justice and lasting peace,” said Mr. Chollom.

According to local chairman Danjuma Dakil, attacks that began in Bokkos district spread to neighboring Barkin Ladi, where 30 were found dead person.

On Sunday, Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang condemned the violence, calling it “barbaric.”

“The government will take proactive measures to curb the ongoing attacks on innocent civilians,” said Gyang Bere, a spokesman for the governor.

According to a source from the region, which lies on the dividing line between Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south, gunfire could still be heard late Monday afternoon.

Marcus Amorudu, a resident of Mushu village, said the people were sleeping when the shots rang out.

“We were scared because we did not expect the attack. People were hiding, but the attackers captured many of us, some were killed, others were wounded,” he told AFP.

Deadly attacks

Amnesty International criticized the government after the attacks, saying «Nigerian authorities have failed to end frequent deadly attacks on rural communities in Plateau State,» in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Northwest and central Nigeria have long been targeted by terror by bandit militias operating from bases deep in the forests and raiding villages to loot and kidnap residents for ransom.

Competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, intensified by rapid population growth and climate pressures have also exacerbated social tensions and sparked violence.

A jihadist conflict has raged in northeastern Nigeria since 2009, killing tens of thousands and displacing nearly two million, while Boko Haram is battling rivals for supremacy. linked to the Islamic State group.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos elected in a controversial vote in February, has vowed to attract more investment into Africa's largest economy and most populous country in a bid to address persistent problems security.