Vice President Shettima Conveys Solidarity and Condemnation Amidst Tragedy

Nigeria's Vice President, Kashim Shettima, visited a displaced persons camp in northern Plateau State, on Wednesday and engaged with survivors of recent violence in the region.

Reports indicate that at least 140 individuals fell victim to armed assailants who targeted remote villages over a two-day period in the north-central state. This incident marks the latest in a series of mass killings this year, linked to the ongoing farmer-herder crisis in West Africa.

“When one community bleeds, the entire nation feels the pain. The pain we feel now transcends ethnicity or religion, geography or politics. The grief that binds us is a testament to our shared humanity, not differences,” said Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria. 

The attackers, described as engaging in senseless and unprovoked actions, targeted 17 communities during the attacks on Saturday and Sunday. Most houses in these areas were reportedly burned down, according to Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

"What we have seen in this recent tragedy, in the past few days, is a tragedy of enormous proportion. I can’t imagine the inhumanity that has been displayed when a human being can see a helpless child and shoot a gun. This is wicked, and I can’t just imagine it, I can’t wrap my head around it," added Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau State Governor.

The Nigerian Army announced the initiation of clearance operations to locate the suspects, collaborating with other security agencies.

However, arrests in such attacks are infrequent. President Bola Tinubu has assured the affected communities that efforts will be made to find a resolution to the crisis.