At least 51 people were killed in a gunman attack early Monday in Nigeria's northern Plateau state, according to residents and Amnesty International. 

This attack occurred just two weeks after violent clashes in another part of the state claimed numerous lives.

The national emergency agency had reported last week that gunmen killed 52 people and displaced nearly 2,000 others over several days of attacks in Plateau, an area known for recurring violence between farmers and cattle herders.

On Monday, residents confirmed that 51 bodies were found in the villages of Zikke and Kimakpa in Plateau's Bassa district, with several others wounded. The exact cause of the attack remains unclear.

"A mass burial is taking place, and there is a strong sense of outrage among the community," said Joseph Chudu Yonkpa, a local resident who attributed the attack to cattle herders.

The police have not yet commented on the incident. Albert Garba Samuel, spokesperson for the local youth group Jere Nation Youths Development Association, condemned the violence, stating, "No community should endure such suffering, bloodshed, and destruction."

Amnesty International condemned the attack, pointing out that the security failures that allowed such violence—two weeks after a similar incident—must be thoroughly investigated. 

The human rights organization also noted that gunmen had burned down and looted homes during the assault.

Plateau state, part of Nigeria's Middle Belt, has been a hotspot for ethnically and religiously motivated conflict, often framed as a clash between Muslim herders and Christian farmers. 

However, factors like climate change and the reduction of grazing land due to expanding agriculture have also exacerbated tensions.

Source: Yahoo News 

BDST: 1154 HRS, April 15, 2025
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