The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the simultaneous weekend attacks by Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), bandits, and kidnappers across parts of the country, which claimed the lives of more than 131 Nigerians.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, the group described the bloodshed as proof that Nigeria remains under siege from “daredevil armed non-state actors” waging a relentless war against citizens.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, noted that while security forces, including the military and the Department of State Services (DSS), have recently recorded successes in counter-terrorism operations, the attacks highlight the need for more proactive and coordinated measures.
The group urged the Chief of Defence Staff, General Chris Gwabin Musa, and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to continue to provide statesmanship and leadership to ensure that terrorists, bandits, and insurgents are “clinically defeated in the shortest possible time frame.”
According to HURIWA, fighters believed to belong to Boko Haram/ISWAP stormed Darul Jama village in Borno State on Friday night, killing at least 55 people, including six soldiers, after opening fire indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze.
In Katsina State, seven people were killed during an attack on Magajin Wando village in Dandume Local Government Area between late Friday night and early Saturday.
READ ALSO: SERAP drags RMAFC to court over proposed salary hike for elected politicians
The state government confirmed the incident through the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, who said casualties would have been higher but for the intervention of security operatives.
In Edo State, eight operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were ambushed and killed while escorting Chinese expatriates working for BUA Cement.
Four Chinese workers were abducted; three were later rescued while one remains missing. NSCDC spokesperson Afolabi Babawale confirmed that four other officers sustained severe injuries.
Amid the wave of violence, HURIWA applauded residents of Shagari and Bimasa communities in Sokoto State, who launched counterattacks against bandits on Thursday, killing at least 15 attackers, rescuing kidnapped relatives, and recovering stolen livestock. In Bimasa, villagers even captured one suspect alive and paraded him in the community.
The Rights group described the villagers’ courage as a sign of resilience but stressed that citizens should not be left to defend themselves in the absence of the state.
HURIWA expressed outrage that more than 65,000 Nigerians have been killed by terrorists and bandits in the past decade, lamenting the slow pace of justice delivery against mass killers.
“The massacre of citizens cannot continue unchecked while courts delay justice,” the group said. “There must be consequences for terrorists and their sponsors.”
It also warned against allowing security agencies to operate in silos, calling for stronger inter-agency collaboration.
“The killing of NSCDC operatives in Edo shows the urgent need for synergy among security agencies. Whenever one agency comes under attack, others should be mobilised immediately to provide reinforcement,” HURIWA stressed.
The association insisted that the pride of any nation rests on the ability of its armed forces to dominate the war environment, defeat threats, and guarantee citizens’ safety.
While condemning the atrocities, HURIWA acknowledged that recent operations by the military and DSS indicate a fresh momentum in the fight against terrorism.
“There are encouraging signs that the armed forces and DSS are working more frequently in unison. The terrorists must now be decisively overwhelmed,” the group declared, while also calling on citizens to support security forces in the fight.
HURIWA concluded by urging the government to ensure that the killings and abductions witnessed over the weekend are not repeated, insisting that the war on terror — now more than a decade old — must be brought to an end.