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Herdsmen, Bandits kill 1,165 persons in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto in 8 months
This is according to an analysis published Thursday by Nigeria’s former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu, on his Twitter handle
BY NICHOLAS ABE
No less than 1,165 persons have been killed by herdsmen, bandits and other criminal elements in the north west states of Nigeria, comprising Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto, between January and August 2020.
Within the same period, at least 103 other persons were abducted by the same group of bloodthirsty marauders.
This is according to an analysis published Thursday by Nigeria’s former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu, on his Twitter handle, @ChidiOdinkalu.
The analysis titled, ‘Killings in the North West’, gives a graphic description of the carnage visited on the seven northern states by a combination of banditry, herdsmen attacks, Boko Haram/ISWAP, extra-judicial killings and isolated attacks.
From the report, the highest number of killings, 468, were carried out in Kaduna State, whose governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been in the news lately, following his disinvitation to speak at the just concluded Nigerian Bar Association 60th annual general conference, as a result of protests over his handling of the incessant killings in Southern Kaduna and his alleged poor adherence to the rule of law.
Kaduna is followed by Katsina, the home state of Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, whose one of three mantras to assuming office is the quailing of insecurity in the country. No fewer than 376 lives were reported to have been brutally cut short in Katsina.
In Zamfara State, 204 persons were said to have been killed by herdsmen and banditry attacks just as in Katsina while 96 persons were slaughtered by bandits in Sokoto State, home of the leader of the Islamic faith in Nigeria, The Sultan.
Kano, Jigawa and Kebbi states suffered 10, 10 and one killings, respectively, carried out by a combination of Boko Haram/ISWAP, herdsmen, banditry and isolated attacks, according to the report.
Introducing the document on his Twitter handle, Odinkalu tweeted: “At least 1,165 ppl (people) have so far bn (been) killed in NW #Nigeria in atrocity crimes in 2020.
“At least 468 or 40.17% of them were killed in Kaduna State alone.”
At least 1,165 ppl have so far bn killed in NW #Nigeria in atrocity crimes in 2020.
At least 468 or 40.17% of them were killed in Kaduna State alone.@NigeriaMourns pic.twitter.com/XizcCBJaYG
— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) September 10, 2020