NCCC Chides Amnesty Int’l Report

The North Central Citizens Council (NCCC) has criticized a recent report by Amnesty International that accused the Nigerian government of failing to tackle widespread killings across several states.

The council described the report as “malicious and misleading,” warning that it was designed to misinform the public and damage the country’s global reputation.

The human rights watchdog, in a report published by Premium Times, claimed that over 10,217 people had been killed in gunmen attacks in Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara states since May 29, 2023. Amnesty International also urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the nation’s persistent security challenges in line with his campaign promises.

Reacting to the claims, the NCCC, in a statement jointly signed by its coordinator, Mohammed Eneji; general secretary, Grace Abu and publicity secretary, Jonathan Omodayo, accused Amnesty International of promoting falsehood and attempting to discredit the efforts of the Tinubu-led administration in tackling insecurity.

“It is on record that Amnesty International, over the years, has been a vanguard of misinformation aimed at discrediting the Nigerian government’s efforts in the fight against insecurity,” they said.

The group cited a report allegedly issued by a U.S. congressman which claimed that several international NGOs, particularly those operating in Northeast Nigeria, were established to further destabilise the region.

According to the NCCC, the latest report by Amnesty International further vindicates those allegations, describing the figures cited by the organisation as inconsistent with verified government data.