CSW reported that Zangon Kataf LGA has been under sustained attack since Nigeria’s general elections period came to an end, despite the area having a joint military and police camp stationed three kilometers (a little less than two miles) from its main town.
An attack on Ungwan Wakili on the evening of March 11 claimed the lives of 17 people, most of them women and children, allegedly following “a series of complaints of cow poisoning and destruction of farm produce by both herders and locals in the area” and an altercation between security operatives and Fulani herders.
The attack on March 11 occurred four days after 88 people were killed in a similar assault on an IDP camp in Benue State that had also largely targeted women and children, eliciting a rare but strong condemnation from the United Nations office in Nigeria.
The Nigerian presidency was also prompted to issue a statement lamenting the “concerted attack on innocent citizens in the state,” adding that “law enforcement agencies must take serious action to put an end to this.”
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Despite the condemnation, the attacks in Nigeria continue unabated, CSW lamented, referring to the April 5 raid on the Dutsen Bako community in Zangon Kataf LGA in which at least four people were killed.
In another attack on April 12, nine people were killed, four were injured, and five homes were damaged during an attack on Tanjei village in the area.
CSW reported that among the casualties in the April 12 attack were a sleeping 8-year-old girl who was left behind by her fleeing family and died from a gunshot to the stomach, and a pregnant woman who was a month away from her due date.
According to Kankhwende, concerted and concrete action is essential to ensure that the Nigerian security forces are adequately resourced to combat the threats posed by terrorist groups operating in the country and to protect vulnerable communities.
He described the insecurity in Nigeria as “deeply distressing,” adding: “Such events are not at all uncommon for many communities in Nigeria.”
This story was originally published on ACI Africa, CNA’s sister news agency, and has been adapted by CNA.
Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a master of arts degree in digital journalism from the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics, media, and communications from Kenya’s Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.