Amnesty International Nigeria has raised alarm over the worsening wave of attacks by armed groups in Sokoto and Kebbi states, warning that the unchecked violence is pushing communities to the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
The organization noted that over the past week, several villages in Sokoto were overrun by bandits, forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes. In protest, displaced villagers blocked a major road linking Kebbi and Sokoto at the weekend to draw attention to their plight.
Since January 2020, Amnesty International has documented a sharp increase in attacks and abductions across the northwest, where gunmen—commonly referred to as bandits—storm communities on motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately, setting homes ablaze, looting livestock, raping women and girls, destroying farms, and kidnapping residents for ransom.
“These atrocities amount to grave violations of the rights to life, liberty, and dignity,” the group stated, stressing that the Nigerian authorities’ repeated failure to act decisively has cost countless lives and livelihoods.
Amnesty International called on the government to take urgent and concrete measures to protect vulnerable communities, warning that without immediate intervention, many more lives remain at risk.
