At least 54 people have been reportedly killed in Zikke village, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State by rampaging gunmen.
The victims including children and elderly, were reportedly slaughtered in the early hours of Saturday when the terrorists gunmen invaded the village, razing residential houses and looting homes.
Reacting to the unfortunate incident which is coming barely two weeks after 52 people of the community were massacred, the Amnesty International Nigeria described it as an “inexcusable security failure.”
The attack, initially reported as the killing of 51 people, occurred between 12am and 1am.
The gunmen, according to Amnesty International, shot sporadically and destroyed everything on their path. Many of the victims who could not run, including children and the elderly, were slaughtered and left in pools of blood.
While those killed were being prepared for mass burial, more dead bodies were still being discovered in the bush on Saturday, raising fears that the death toll could rise further.
The massacre came barely two weeks after 52 people were killed in a similar attack in the state.
Amnesty International, in its reaction, provided grim casualty figures covering Plateau State from December 2023 to February 2024.
According to the global human rights organisation, at least 1336 people were killed during the period. Of those killed, 533 were women, 263 were children, and 540 were men.
Over 29,554 people were displaced, out of which 13,093 were children while 16,461 were women.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the killing of at least 54 people between 12:00 am to 1:00 am last night when gunmen invaded Zikke village of Bassa LGA, Plateau State. Along the way, the gunmen also razed villages and looted homes, destroying everything on their path. While those killed are being prepared for mass burial, more dead bodies are being discovered in the bush,” the organisation said in a report posted on it X handle on Saturday.
“Many of the victims of last night’s deadly attack that could not run — including children and the elderly — were slaughtered and left in pools of blood. The inexcusable security lapses that enabled this horrific attack, two weeks after the killing of 52 people, must be investigated.”
Amnesty International warned that issuing “bland statements condemning these horrific attacks is not enough,” adding that genuine commitment to protecting the people must be demonstrated by ensuring adequate security of lives and property, as well as ensuring justice for the victims.
“Consistent failure of the authorities to bring the actual suspected perpetrators to justice is emboldening impunity,” it stated.
The rights group also took a direct swipe at President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying that while the President claims his government is implementing new security measures to address the rising insecurity in the country, the recent attacks in Plateau State show that whatever measures implemented are not working.
“While President Bola Tinubu claims his government is implementing new security measures to address the rising insecurity in the country, the recent attacks in Plateau state show that whatever security measures implemented are not working,” Amnesty said.
It further warned that the patterns of recent deadly attacks on rural areas of Plateau State clearly show that Nigerian authorities have left these communities at the mercy of rampaging gunmen.
“Nigerian authorities’ failure to tame the tide of this horrific violence is costing people’s lives and livelihoods, and without immediate action, many more lives may be lost,” the organisation stated.
SaharaReporters had reported that Plateau State has become a flashpoint for deadly clashes and mass killings in recent years, with rural communities in Bassa, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Mangu local government areas bearing the brunt of repeated attacks.
The violence, often attributed to armed groups and suspected herdsmen militias, has displaced tens of thousands and left farming communities devastated while the Nigerian government kept promising to deal with the criminals.
Residents have repeatedly accused security agencies of failing to act on early warnings and of arriving late to the scene of attacks. The consistent failure to arrest and prosecute perpetrators has fuelled a cycle of reprisal attacks and deepened impunity across the state.
As bodies were being prepared for mass burial on Saturday, community leaders in Bassa LGA called on the Federal Government to deploy additional troops and establish a permanent security presence in the affected villages.
The Amnesty International warned that without immediate action, many more lives may be lost.