An international human rights capacity-building non-governmental organization based in Washington DC, USA, Global Rights Organisation (GRO), has raised the alarm over growing insecurity in Nigeria.
The international civil society organisation, in a statement on Tuesday, claims that since President Bola Tinubu became Nigeria’s president in June 2023, no fewer than 2,423 Nigerians have been killed and no fewer than 1872 persons abducted in various attacks across the country.
The which raised the concerns at a press conference in Abuja, conceded that though Nigeria has been battling insecurity for more than a decade, the present government of President Tinubu has not been proactive enough to secure the country as it had promised during the electioneering campaign.
Addressing the news conference alongside Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria under the auspices of the Civil Society Joint Action Group, Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, and, Nigeria Mourns, GRO expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of security across Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“It is mass atrocities and fatality tracking across the country by “Nigeria Mourns” which revealed that at least 2,423 people have been killed in mass atrocities-related incidents and at least 1,872 persons abducted between May 29, 2023 to January 26, 2024 under President Bola Tinubu,” the statement said.
“Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terrorist organisations have relentlessly wrecked havoc on communities across states in northern Nigeria but the government of President Tinubu has not fared any better than that of its predecessors.
“Bandits are also beginning to walk in their footsteps, killing and kidnapping innocent Nigerians.
“Road ambushes have made interstate travel more perilous. Reported incidents such as the abduction of 30 passengers near Katari along the Kaduna-Abuja highway and the kidnapping of 45 passengers in Orokam on the Benue-Enugu route underscore the gravity of the situation.
“While the Tinubu administration still makes promises to combat insecurity and put an end to these incessant attacks that have claimed the lives of many, Nigerians have yet to see any positive change.
“Under President Buhari’s second term alone (2019 to 2023), at least 24,816 Nigerians lost their lives, and at least 15,597 persons were abducted, but under Tinubu’s eight months in office, 2400 Nigerians killed, 1800 abducted and it does not look like the administration has the willpower to curtail the menace,” the group added.