As Nigeria celebrates the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD), Amnesty International has decried the daily deterioration of insecurity, kidnappings, and killings being perpetrated by armed criminal groups across the country.
Amnesty International in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday lamented that widespread insecurity and rampant kidnapping cases by armed criminal groups have become part of daily life in Nigeria, noting that Nigerians now live on a knife-edge.
According to Amnesty International, the exact number of Nigerians currently held captive by armed groups and kidnappers remains unknown as the armed criminal groups have abducted several women and girls, including school children across the country.
“Rampant kidnapping by armed groups has become a part of daily life in Nigeria,” the human rights organisation said.
It lamented, “Those kidnapped by armed groups are routinely tortured. Many are beaten, starved, threatened with death, raped, held blindfolded for several days, verbally and physically assaulted.
“People in Nigeria are living on a knife edge. Widespread insecurity and chaos have been exacerbated by routine kidnapping, as armed groups tighten their stranglehold on the country.
“The number of Nigerians in custody of armed groups and kidnappers is unknown. However the victims usually suffer shocking abuses. Several abducted women and girls, including school children, have been viciously raped while in captivity.”
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