Amnesty’s Report On Nigeria: Fact Or Fiction

In a bold rebuttal to Amnesty International’s latest report, titled “Nigeria: Mounting Death Toll and Looming Humanitarian Crisis,” a journalist, Tersoo Chiahemen has accused the global rights watchdog of inflating fatality figures and promoting dangerous misinformation.

Amnesty claims that over 10,000 people have been killed by armed groups in Northern Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu took office two years ago.

The report also alleges that 672 villages have been destroyed, with Benue and Plateau states accounting for 98% of the deaths.

Chiahemen counters Amnesty’s figures using data from the reputable Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).

According to ACLED:
Benue: 1,302 deaths (2023–2025)
Plateau: 830 deaths (2023–2025)
Total: 2,132, a fraction of Amnesty’s claim.

Chiahemen, therefore, questions Amnesty’s sources, lack of transparency, and absence of local verification.

“By exaggerating numbers in ethnically sensitive regions, this report risks inflaming tensions,” he warns.

Beyond numbers, the report accuses the Nigerian government of inaction which Chiahemen describes this claim “unfair and baseless,” highlighting military operations and peace-building efforts under Tinubu’s leadership.

Inflated statistics and emotionally charged narratives, especially from globally trusted organizations, can damage reputations, fuel division, and mislead international stakeholders.

Chiahemen urges Amnesty to audit its report independently, disclose its methodology and sources as well as collaborate with credible local institutions.

Is Amnesty still a watchdog for truth, or has it traded rigour for rhetorics? Until there is clarity, this report, Chiahemen argues, is “not a wake-up call but a work of fiction.”

Mercy Didam