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A new report by Nigeria’s geopolitical intelligence platform, SB Morgen (SBM), says 53 traditional rulers were killed in violent attacks across the country in the past 10 years.
In the report released on Wednesday, the organisation said 35 of them were killed in the last five years, “indicating an accelerating trend.”
SBM Intelligence also expressed displeasure over the rising cases of violent incidents in the country.
“In the decade since November 2011, 53 traditional rulers have been killed in various violent incidents across Nigeria.
“This unfortunate trend appears to be accelerating as 35 of them were killed in the second half of the decade in review, that is between 2016 and now, while the incidents in which those killings happened have become more violen,” the report said.
In September2020, Da Bulus Chuwang Jang, a traditional ruler in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, was killed by gunmen.
In November 2020, Israel Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, was shot dead on his way from a meeting of monarchs in Akure, the state capital.
A month after, gunmen killed Emmanuel Mba, a traditional ruler of Oruku community, Nkanu-East Local Government Area in Enugu State.
In its previous report, SB Morgen Intelligence said the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria is almost the same with countries that are officially at war.
It added that mass atrocities in the country are linked to the proliferation of small arms.