Report: 53 traditional rulers killed in violent attacks in 10 years

A new report by SBM Intelligence, Nigeria’s geopolitical intelligence platform, says 53 traditional rulers were killed in violent attacks in Nigeria in the past 10 years.

In the report issued 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,” the organisation said.

“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 violent.”

In September, Da Bulus Chuwang Jang, a traditional ruler in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau state, was killed by gunmen.

In November, Israel Adeusi, the Olufon of Ifon in Ose LGA of Ondo state, was shot dead while on his way from a meeting of monarchs in Akure, the state capital.

A month after, gunmen killed Emmanuel Mba, traditional ruler of Oruku community, Nkanu-east LGA in Enugu state.

In its previous report, SB Morgen Intelligence said said the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Nigeria is almost the same with countries that are officially at war.

It said mass atrocities in the country are linked to the proliferation of small arms.