resolution motion, 5 February 2024
On the recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
Motion B-9-2024-0118 · (2024/2552(RSP))
on behalf of the S&D Group · Rapporteur: Pedro Marques, Karsten Lucke
AI:In short
Parliament's resolution on the Christmas Eve attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria, deplores the attacks and the loss of life. It urges humanitarian actors, including the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), to fund the humanitarian crisis, including psychological support. It calls on Nigerian authorities to protect lives, run security operations in line with human rights law, and investigate the December attacks with fair trials for those responsible. It asks for an integrated EU approach covering security, political, humanitarian and development needs, and continued interreligious and intercultural dialogue with women and young people represented.
Key points
- On 24 December 2023 gunmen attacked more than 160 villages in the Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Magu authority areas of Plateau State.
- The attacks caused 335 deaths, 171 injured, over 409 razed houses and an estimated 18,275 displaced people, many in temporary camps with limited water, sanitation, food, medication and healthcare, including mental health services; women were disproportionately affected.
- No one claimed responsibility; in January 2024 around 50 people were killed in further clashes in Mangu, Plateau State, where houses, churches and mosques were burnt down.
- The conflict's causes go beyond religious differences and include territorial disputes, ethnic clashes, access to scarce resources, environmental degradation, endemic poverty, social exclusion and lack of access to basic services, education and stable livelihoods.
- Parliament deplores the Christmas Eve attacks and deeply regrets the loss of life.
- It urges humanitarian actors, including the Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS), to allocate sufficient resources to the humanitarian crisis, including psychological support services.
- It expresses concern at rising insecurity, underlines Nigerian authorities' obligation to protect lives and livelihoods, and urges them to invest greater resources so security operations have local cooperation and trust, protect the population and comply with national and international human rights law.
- It calls on Nigerian authorities to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of the December attacks and ensure those responsible face fair trials.
- It underlines the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach so EU support addresses security, political, humanitarian and sustainable development needs holistically.
- It stresses continued interreligious and intercultural dialogue, urges the Commission and EEAS to keep supporting initiatives bringing together community and religious leaders and governmental and non-governmental stakeholders for peacebuilding dialogue, and underlines that women and young people must be fully represented.
Who is affected
- Nigerian authorities: urged to protect lives, run rights-compliant security operations and investigate the attacks.
- Commission and EEAS: urged to fund humanitarian aid and support peacebuilding dialogue.
- People displaced in Plateau State: many live in temporary camps with limited water, sanitation, food, medication and healthcare.
- Women and young people: disproportionately affected by displacement and to be fully represented in dialogue.
Figures and deadlines
Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 26 Sept 2026 · Report a problem
Full text
Text 18 paragraphs
B90118/2024
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria
(2024/2552(RSP))
The European Parliament,
having regard to its previous resolutions on Nigeria,
having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
having regard to Rule 144 of its rules of procedure,
whereas on 24 December 2023 gunmen launched a large-scale attack on more than 160 villages in the Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Magu authority areas of Plateau State in north-central Nigeria;
whereas the attacks resulted in 335 deaths, 171 injured, over 409 razed houses, and an estimated 18,275 people displaced; whereas many of the displaced are currently living in temporary camps with limited access to water, sanitation, food, medication, and healthcare including mental health services; whereas women have been disproportionately affected by the displacement crisis;
whereas no-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks; whereas in January 2024 around 50 people were killed in further clashes in Mangu in Plateau state, where houses, churches and mosques were burnt down; whereas the security situation in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria is characterised by frequent attacks as a result of ongoing intense conflict marked by religious division between the largely Fulani Muslim herders and Christian farmers;
whereas the underlying elements to the conflict extend far beyond religious differences; whereas the factors fuelling clashes are overlapping and rooted in territorial disputes, ethnic clashes, access to scarce resources, environmental degradation; endemic poverty, social exclusion, and lack of access to basic services, education, and opportunities for stable livelihoods;
Deplores the Christmas Eve attacks and deeply regrets the loss of life;
Read the rest (6 paragraphs)
Urges humanitarian actors including the Commission and EEAS to ensure sufficient resources are allocated to addressing the humanitarian crisis, including providing services for psychological support;
Expresses concern at the rising insecurity across the country; underlines the obligations of the Nigerian authorities to protect lives and livelihoods; urges authorities to invest greater resources to ensure operations undertaken by security forces are conducted with the cooperation and trust of local communities, are effective in protecting the population, and are fully in line with national and international human rights law;
Calls on the Nigerian authorities to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of the December attacks and ensure those responsible are held to account in fair trials;
Underlines the importance of a comprehensive and integrated approach to ensure EU support holistically addresses security, political, humanitarian and sustainable development needs;
Stresses in particular the need for continued interreligious and intercultural dialogue; urges the Commission and EEAS to continue supporting initiatives bringing together community and religious leaders as well as governmental and non-governmental stakeholders for peacebuilding dialogue; underlines the importance of ensuring woman and young people are fully represented in this process;
Instruct its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Government and Parliament of Nigeria.