80,000 people displaced amid ongoing violence in central Nigeria

In the past three months, more than 80,000 people have been displaced from central Nigeria due to escalating deadly violence that has prompted the deployment of military reinforcements to the region, according to a local official.

Since May, the Plateau State has been witnessing violent clashes between farmers and herders, resulting in over 300 fatalities, as reported by local authorities.

Rural communities in northwest and central Nigeria have been plagued by widespread violence and crimes, largely fueled by disputes over land and water resources.

Local official, Marcus Artus, informed the news agency AFP that approximately 80,000 internally displaced persons are residing in 11 camps in Mangu, the epicenter of the violence in Plateau State.

One of the camp coordinators, Yambut Daniel, also confirmed a similar estimate to AFP.

On Saturday, the Chief of Nigerian Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai, visited Mangu to launch special operations aimed at "eliminating" the crisis.

In one of the makeshift camps, thousands of people sleep in classrooms, surviving on meager supplies and maize crops donated by local churches.

Seventy-year-old Grace Emmanuel, one of the displaced, expressed her hardships, stating, "The crisis has made us homeless; it has destroyed our farmlands, and now we have to struggle to survive in this school."

She added, "It's not easy; we don't have enough to eat. We have to go to the wells for water, and sometimes the water is not enough for thousands of us."

In response to the escalating violence, the military has temporarily relocated the headquarters of its regional military campaign, "Operation Safe Haven," to Mangu. Additionally, around 300 soldiers and armored vehicles have been deployed to reinforce security in the area.

The series of killings, retaliatory attacks, and the absence of an effective justice system have led to widespread criminal activities, with armed gangs raiding villages, killing scores of civilians, and resorting to kidnapping for ransom.

The situation remains tense, and authorities are striving to restore peace and stability in the region.

 

 

 

 

AFP