HURIWA Demands Preventive Security Strategy After Plateau, Zamfara, Niger Attacks

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the federal government to adopt a preventive security strategy capable of identifying and neutralising threats before they result in massacres and mass abductions.

The group made the call following the latest killings and abductions reported in Plateau, Zamfara and Niger States, saying the incidents had further exposed the security challenges confronting millions of Nigerians.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed concern that citizens continued to lose their lives in their communities despite repeated assurances by the government that measures were being taken to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes.

The rights group said Nigeria could no longer afford a security strategy centred mainly on statements, condemnations and promises issued after attacks had already occurred.

“Government must move decisively from reactive responses to preventive security operations capable of identifying threats before they mature into massacres and mass abductions,” HURIWA said.

The association said the recurring pattern was disturbing, alleging that communities were attacked, residents killed or abducted, government officials issued condemnations and security agencies announced investigations, only for similar attacks to occur elsewhere.

It warned that repeated attacks without timely arrests and successful prosecutions could embolden armed criminal groups and weaken public confidence in the ability of security agencies to protect citizens.

HURIWA therefore demanded a measurable national security strategy with clearly defined responsibilities, timelines and operational objectives, saying security performance should be assessed by the number of attacks prevented, abductees rescued, criminal networks dismantled, weapons recovered and perpetrators prosecuted.

The group also called for stronger coordination among the military, police, intelligence agencies and other security institutions operating in vulnerable areas, as well as closer cooperation between federal and state authorities.

It urged authorities to pay particular attention to communities bordering forests and other difficult-to-access areas that criminal groups could exploit as operational bases, while strengthening local security structures and channels for transmitting intelligence from communities.

HURIWA said political activities ahead of the 2027 elections should not distract governments from their immediate responsibility of protecting citizens.

On the reported killing of at least 54 residents of Zikke village in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, the association called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and the response of security agencies.

The group said the incident, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of Saturday, came barely two weeks after another attack in Plateau State in which 52 people were reportedly killed.

HURIWA also cited concerns raised by Amnesty International over the Zikke attack, including questions about the effectiveness of security measures announced by the government.

The association said the reported attacks in Plateau despite the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu local government areas also required urgent attention.

It expressed concern over reports of fresh killings during and around the curfew period, including the reported killing of three men at Kyikyau-Gyambwas in Mangu while they were keeping watch over their community.

HURIWA said the incidents raised questions about intelligence gathering, security deployment, patrol arrangements, rapid-response capacity and the ability of security agencies to protect communities after imposing movement restrictions.

It stressed that a curfew alone could not constitute a comprehensive security strategy, calling instead for stronger community-based intelligence systems, improved surveillance, adequate patrols and rapid-response mechanisms.

On Zamfara State, HURIWA condemned the reported invasion of Tsafe, headquarters of Tsafe Local Government Area, by suspected bandits.

The association said the attackers reportedly opened fire and abducted at least five residents during a Friday night operation, with bullet marks allegedly found on buildings in the town.

It called for increased security presence in vulnerable communities and sustained operations against criminal camps and hideouts from which attacks on civilian settlements were launched.

On the reported mass abduction in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, HURIWA expressed concern over conflicting figures regarding the number of worshippers allegedly abducted during attacks on mosques in Dekara District on August 21.

The group said affected communities had reportedly provided the names of 547 people allegedly abducted, comprising 341 persons from Gbenji, 104 from Giagbasso/Sabon Gida, 88 from Dekara, nine from Kpenya/Masaka and five from Gbebara.

It noted that the figures differed substantially from the lower number publicly attributed to the Niger State Government, urging authorities to immediately reconcile the discrepancies.

HURIWA said uncertainty over the number of abducted persons was unacceptable, particularly for families waiting for credible information about the whereabouts of their relatives.

The association consequently demanded that the Niger State Government, local authorities and security agencies publish an accurate account of those abducted, rescued, killed or still missing.

It also called for intensified efforts to rescue the victims reportedly taken into the Kainji Lake National Park forest and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.