Insecurity: 20,431 persons killed in 4 years — Global Rights

VANGUARD 

An international human rights capacity-building non-governmental organization, Global Rights, has disclosed that over 20,431 persons were killed between 2019 and 2022.

Executive Director, of Global Rights, Abiodun Baiyewu, made this known at the 2023 mass atrocities summit with the theme: “Remembering to Prevent: Enhancing Accountability for Mass Atrocities Through Effective Documentation” organised by Global Rights in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that these deaths emanated from attacks by the Boko Haram/ISWAP, communal clashes, cult clashes, extrajudicial killings, herdsmen attacks, isolated attacks, mob attacks, political violence, ritual killings, and secessionist movements.

According to her, “The double verified data that we have gathered tells us that over the past four years, at least 20,431 people were killed across Nigeria. Our country has witnessed various forms of mass atrocities that have resulted in killings.

“These deaths are attributable to banditry, Boko Haram/ISWAP, communal clashes, cult clashes, extrajudicial killings, herdsmen attacks, isolated attacks, mob attacks, political violence, ritual killings, and secessionist movements. It is especially distressing to note that banditry alone was responsible for over half of these killings, accounting for 10,234 of the lives lost.”
Baiyewu further disclosed that at least, 5,792 persons were killed in 2022 and that abductions skyrocketed from 117 in 2019 to 5,149 in 2022.

She said, “It is with no joy that I speak. Only with heartbreak and with questions of what do we need to do as a nation to make our way back to sanity? Is it too late?

“Our Mass Atrocities report for 2022 informs that at least 5,792 people became victims of mass atrocities across Nigeria. Of this number, at least 5,270 of them were civilians. A tenth of them were active service personnel. Additionally, out of the at least 5,162 individuals who were abducted, a heart-breaking 5,149 were civilians…