A civil society organization under the auspices of the Coalition for Peace and Security Monitoring in Nigeria, CPSMN, has condemned the latest report by Amnesty International on the recent attack in Zikke village, Bassa LGA of Plateau State.
The group described the report as “grossly exaggerated, misleading, and detached from reality.”
According to a statement by its Executive Director, Pastor John Bulus, the group accused Amnesty of fanning the flames of fear and tension with “fabricated figures and alarmist claims” that do not reflect the true situation on the ground.
Bulus said the narrative being projected by Amnesty International is distorted.
He added that Amnesty’s claim that 1,336 people were killed in just three months in Plateau State is not only outrageous but completely unverified.
“Where is their evidence? Who gave them these numbers?” Bulus queried.
The group stated that it has been on the ground in Zikke and other affected communities, assessing the situation, supporting survivors, and working closely with local leaders and security agencies.
“While we acknowledge the attack in Zikke and mourn the lives lost, we will not sit back and allow a foreign NGO with no presence here to weaponize our pain for global headlines,” the statement added.
Bulus emphasized that the federal and Plateau State governments have continued to intensify security operations in volatile areas, insisting that collaborative efforts between the military, police, and local vigilante groups have significantly reduced the scale of violence in recent months.
“It is irresponsible and dangerous for Amnesty International to overlook these efforts and spread narratives that only embolden criminals and discourage citizens. Our communities are not abandoned, they are being protected.”
He also criticized Amnesty’s call for independent investigations, saying the group has no credibility to make such demands when it has consistently ignored government responses and local efforts at peacebuilding.
“We challenge Amnesty International to provide a list of the names, dates, and locations of the so-called 1,336 victims. Until then, we consider their report nothing more than a sensational, data-free attack on the Nigerian state,” the CPSMN declared.
It urged the international community to disregard Amnesty’s “reckless propaganda” and instead support homegrown solutions being championed by civil society, religious leaders, and security stakeholders on the Plateau.
“Nigeria needs partners, not provokers. The people of Plateau State need healing and unity, not global organizations stoking division from a distance,” Bulus added.