Tragedy in Yikpata: Amnesty International Demands Investigation

Amnesty International has urged Nigeria to investigate allegations that 150 people, predominantly children, died in a military-run camp in Kwara state. Though the military denies it, survivors report starvation and poor conditions. The camp houses 1,500 Fulani community members displaced by violence.

Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to probe allegations that at least 150 individuals, primarily children, perished in an army-administered camp located in north-central Kwara state. The military, however, refutes the claims, labeling them as baseless.

The victims are reportedly among approximately 1,500 Fulani community members who were relocated to the Yikpata camp after fleeing escalating violence from armed groups. Amnesty highlighted the camp's dire conditions, including overcrowding, poor sanitation, restricted movement, malnutrition, and rampant disease.

Despite military denials, Amnesty's researchers uncovered testimonies of starvation and disease permeating the camp, with bodies allegedly interred in mass graves. Adding to the community's plight are Islamist militants pushing southward, exacerbating tensions in the region.