Amnesty International Condemns Zamfara’s Abduction, Says Govt’s Promise “Empty”

By Akanni Toba

Amnesty International has condemned the growing insecurity in the country, particularly the recent mass  abduction that happened in Zamfara last Thursday describing the development as a reflection of Nigeria’s “forgotten conflict”

The organization noted that  rural communities are at the receiving end of most of the repeated attacks as a result of their vulnerability which is caused by the lack of provision of security by the government.

In a post on its official X handle on Sunday, the rights group reacted to the Thursday night raid on Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages, where gunmen reportedly abducted about 150 people.

Amnesty international stressed that most of the victims of the attacks were children and women adding that this made the incident condemnable.

Amnesty revealed that residents of the affected communities said they feel abandoned and live in constant fear of the next attack.

The human rights organization quoted one villager as describing the relentless attacks and abductions witnessed by the communities as “living on the edge day and night”  adding that people now sleep with fear and uncertainty.

Amnesty International said the incident forms part of a broader pattern of violence that has been largely overlooked.

The organisation stated that “the Nigerian authorities have repeatedly claimed to be tackling the situation, but the mounting death toll and spate of mass abductions tell a different story”.