More than 1,800 people, including a traditional ruler, were killed in Nigeria’s South-East region between January 2021 and June 2023, according to a new report by Amnesty International (AI).

The global human rights organisation said at least 1,844 deaths were recorded across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states during the period, resulting from attacks by armed groups commonly referred to as unknown gunmen, local militias, and government-backed security outfits.

Amnesty’s report, titled A Decade of Impunity, was based on victim interviews, police records, and verified media reports. It warned that the escalating violence reflects years of unchecked lawlessness and systemic failure in the region.

One of the most brutal incidents cited occurred on November 14, 2022, when gunmen invaded the palace of HRH Eze Ignatius Asor in the Obudu Agwa community, Imo State, killing the monarch and two visiting chiefs. Witnesses said the attackers arrived in a convoy of vehicles, opened fire, and shot the ruler multiple times before fleeing. No suspects have been arrested.

Amnesty linked much of the unrest to armed groups enforcing the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) sit-at-home orders since 2019. While IPOB has denied targeting civilians, splinter groups reportedly operate autonomously, attacking markets, public officials, and police formations.

Imo State reportedly accounted for over 400 deaths between 2019 and 2021, followed by Anambra and Ebonyi, with more than 100 additional fatalities recorded since late 2022.

The report also accused the regional Ebube Agu security network, established by South-East governors in 2021, of extrajudicial killings, torture, and arbitrary arrests.

“Communities now live between the terror of gunmen and the fear of those meant to protect them,” Amnesty said.

The Defence Headquarters dismissed the allegations, insisting that all military operations are “lawful and intelligence-driven.”

Amnesty International urged the federal government to establish an independent judicial panel to investigate killings, disappearances, and cases of torture, warning that “security must not come at the cost of human rights.”