Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian government to arrest and prosecute those behind the spate of killings in Benue state.
The body said the usual messages of condemnation by those in authority have done little or nothing to stop the killings.
Amnesty made the call on Tuesday in a statement, describing the recent killings in the country as “disturbing.”
At least 20 persons were killed on New Year’s Day in Guma and Logo areas of the state, while many others were seriously injured.
And on Tuesday, two policemen were killed by suspected herdsmen in an ambush in Logo area of the state.
According to Amnesty, no one has ever been arrested with regard to these killings, stressing that punishing offenders is the only way to tame the raging violence.
“The Nigerian authorities must do more to end this epidemic of gruesome killings of dozens of people across the country. Though these clashes have been going on for years, we have seen a disturbing escalation in the bloodshed since the start of 2018,” Amnesty said.
“The government must make better use of its resources to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice. No-one has ever been held to account for the many murders committed during these clashes.
“The pattern of attacks and reprisals is reaching a boiling point because of the failure of authorities to carry out investigations and end the rampant impunity for previous crimes. It is not enough for government to make pronouncements or issue condemnations, it is vital that those responsible are punished.
“This is the only way to start to tame this wave of violence that is endangering lives across the country. That herdsmen, ethnic militias and cult groups kill Nigerians with ease should be a wakeup call for the Nigerian government to ensure accountability for every violation of human rights.”
