Alice Nderitu strongly condemned the January 24 airstrike that killed at least 40 herdsmen, mostly ethnic Fulani, and wounded scores of other civilians.
The incident happened in a village on the border of the two states of Nasarawa and Benue. She recalled that another airstrike in 2017 at a camp for displaced people in Borno state claimed 54 civilian lives.
danger of further tensions
Ms Nderitu was particularly concerned about the situation in the north-west and north-central regions of Nigeria, where the airstrikes took place.
“This dynamic of attacking communities along identity lines, if left unaddressed, risks fueling further intercommunal tensions, recruitment by armed groups and retaliatory attacks, with obvious repercussions on civilian populations,” she added.
The Special Adviser said the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria was marked by the politicization of transhumance, the seasonal movement of cattle for grazing and increasing divisions between communities, including due to stigma along religious and ethnic lines.
Warning before elections
“In this highly volatile environment, it is important that the general elections scheduled for February 25, 2023 do not spark acts of violence and even atrocities,” she warned.
Ms Nderitu also underscored concerns about the increasing trends of hate speech along identity lines and incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence permeating political discourse in the country.
She called on all political leaders to abide by a peace agreement they have signed, which includes a commitment to peaceful campaigns.
Religious and traditional leaders have also been encouraged to work ahead of the elections and beyond to reduce tensions, prevent incitement to violence and address the risk of atrocities.
Manipulation of transhumance
Beyond Nigeria, Ms Nderitu voiced her concerns about the manipulation of transhumance in political discourse across West Africa and the vast Sahel.
“The persistently high level of transhumance-related violence against communities, including hate speech and incitement to violence, is of particular concern given the upcoming elections in many countries in the region,” she said.
The UN official called for urgent action to address conflicts, prevent atrocities and facilitate peaceful elections.
