Public affairs analyst and criminology expert, Mr. Tersoo Chiahemen, has blasted Amnesty International for what he called “fiction storytelling disguised as human rights reporting,” following the group’s recent report on killings in Northern Nigeria.
The report, titled “Nigeria: Mounting Death Toll and Looming Humanitarian Crisis Amid Unchecked Attacks by Armed Groups,” claims that over 10,000 Nigerians have been killed by bandits and armed groups since President Bola Tinubu assumed office—98% of them from just Benue and Plateau States.
But Chiahemen says the report is wildly exaggerated, methodologically flawed, and intentionally inflammatory. “Amnesty is no longer doing human rights work—it is now in the business of emotional blackmail and dangerous fiction,” he stated.
According to Chiahemen, credible data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)—a respected global tracker of violence—tells a much different story. ACLED’s verified records show that fatalities in Benue and Plateau from 2023 to 2025 total just 2,132 deaths, not 10,000. The data breaks down as follows:
Benue: 497 (2023), 650 (2024), 155 (2025) and Plateau: 401 (2023), 320 (2024), 109 (2025)
“These numbers show a decline, not the bloodbath Amnesty is selling to the world,” Chiahemen argued. “The figures in Amnesty’s report are five times higher and not backed by any transparent methodology.”
He questioned the credibility of Amnesty’s sources, asking rhetorically whether they were verified? Whether the deaths were criminal, conflict-related, accidental, or natural?
Interogating further he he questioned why such essential details were missing from a supposedly serious report?
“This isn’t just sloppy—it’s reckless,” he said.
Chiahemen warned that such exaggerated reports could fuel ethnic and religious tensions in already sensitive regions. “Amnesty has crossed from advocacy into provocation. This is no longer reporting—it’s scriptwriting for chaos,” he added.
He further accused Amnesty of ignoring the efforts of the Tinubu administration, which has launched several military operations, community-led security initiatives, and peacebuilding measures in troubled areas.
“To suggest the government is doing nothing is both false and unfair. Yes, challenges remain, but progress is being made,” he said.
Calling for accountability, Chiahemen challenged Amnesty to submit its report to an independent audit, and publicly share its sources and methods. He also urged the organization to engage with credible data institutions like ACLED and local civil society groups for future reports.
“In its current form, this report is a harmful piece of fiction—one that may do more damage than the problems it pretends to expose. Amnesty must decide: is it still committed to truth and justice, or has it become a loudspeaker for sensationalism?” Chiahemen concluded.
