Following three deadly attacks resulting in over 195 casualties and numerous injuries, the Nigerian Army has deployed additional troops to Plateau State. Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), disclosed this development during an end-of-year program, “2023: Year Of Transition,” on Channels Television.
Lagbaja outlined the army’s plans for 2024 in Plateau State, emphasizing the dispatch of troops and additional equipment to enhance operational efficiency. He assured that the reinforcements were en route to Plateau and expected to arrive either on the same night or early the following day.
The attacks, which occurred on Christmas Eve, affected over 50 villages, prompting condemnation from Nigerian authorities. President Bola Tinubu called for a thorough investigation into the incidents.
Expressing concern about the attacks, COAS Lagbaja dismissed calls for self-defense, deeming it a potential cause for anarchy. He stated, “I do not support that. I think that is a call for anarchy.”
The recent assaults in Plateau State drew criticism from various quarters, including UN rights chief Volker Turk, who expressed deep alarm. Turk urged Nigerian authorities to promptly, thoroughly, and independently investigate the incidents in accordance with international human rights law. He called for holding those responsible accountable in fair trials and emphasized the urgency of breaking the cycle of impunity contributing to recurrent violence.
Northwest and central Nigeria have long grappled with bandit militias operating from remote forest bases, raiding villages to loot and kidnap residents for ransom. Additionally, competition for natural resources between nomadic herders and farmers, exacerbated by population growth and climate pressures, has heightened social tensions and triggered violence in the region.