The killing fields: Inside Nigeria’s staggering human cost of insecurity

…State police a potential game changer – Experts

Nigeria’s deepening security crisis has left a trail of death, destruction and displacement across the country, with official and independent reports indicating that more than 628,000 people have been killed and over 2.2 million abducted since 2023.

The alarming figures are despite huge government spending on defence and security, raising fresh concerns about the effectiveness of efforts to combat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other forms of organised crime.

Between 2021 and 2026, Nigeria consistently prioritised defence and security. Allocation rose from N1.97 trillion in 2021 to N2.41 trillion in 2022, N2.74 trillion in 2023, N3.25 trillion in 2024, N4.91 trillion in 2025 and N5.41 trillion in 2026. Yet, the security situation has remained dire.

At the centre of the grim statistics is the National Bureau of Statistics’ Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, which revealed that between May 2023 and April 2024, no fewer than 614,937 Nigerians were killed in violent incidents, while 2,235,954 others were abducted nationwide.

The report further showed that victims and their families paid an estimated N2.23 trillion in ransom to kidnappers and criminal groups during the period. The North-West recorded the highest number of deaths at 206,030, followed by the North-East with 188,992 fatalities, underscoring the devastating impact of insurgency and banditry in both regions.

The figures paint a troubling picture of communities under siege and citizens increasingly vulnerable to violent attacks. Independent security monitors indicate that the bloodshed has continued.

According to Nigeria Watch, at least 12,954 Nigerians were killed in violence-related incidents in 2025 alone. Between January and May 2026, another 5,272 deaths were recorded, bringing the number of documented fatalities within 17 months to more than 18,000.

The Global Terrorism Index also reported a 46percent increase in terrorism-related deaths in Nigeria in 2025, signalling a resurgence of extremist violence. States including Borno, Benue, Zamfara, Plateau, Katsina, Taraba, Niger, Kwara and Kebbi have remained hotspots of deadly attacks, mass displacement and destruction of livelihoods.

Faced with escalating violence, President Bola Tinubu had declared a national security emergency on November 26, 2025, following coordinated attacks on a church in Kwara State and schools in Kebbi and Niger States where more than 350 persons were abducted.

The president subsequently ordered increased military recruitment, redeployment of police personnel attached to VIPs and the establishment of forest guards.

However, the measures yielded little immediate relief.

Within 71 days of the declaration, at least 316 Nigerians were killed in more than 31 major attacks across 15 states. Among the deadliest incidents were the killing of 75 residents in Kwara State, 42 people during week-long attacks in Niger State and 17 villagers in Borno State. The victims included farmers, traders, worshippers, commuters, miners and internally displaced persons.

Fresh figures from Nextier’s Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database show that insecurity remained intense in 2026. In May alone, 156 violent incidents resulted in 842 deaths and 279 kidnappings nationwide. Compared with May 2025, violent incidents rose by 51.5percent, fatalities surged by 90.1percent and kidnappings increased by 19.7percent.

The data reinforced concerns that years of military operations and peace building interventions were yet to significantly weaken violent groups. The North-West has continued to bear the heaviest burden of mass abductions. According to SBM Intelligence, 2,938 people were kidnapped across the region between July 2024 and June 2025, accounting for more than 60percent of reported abductions nationwide.

Zamfara recorded the highest number with 1,203 victims, followed by Kaduna with 629, Katsina with 566 and Sokoto with 358. Amnesty International also documented the killing of more than 294 people and the abduction of 306 others in Katsina State over a two-year period. The persistent attacks have forced thousands of residents to abandon farms and communities, worsening food insecurity across the region.

In the North-East, Borno State remains the epicentre of insurgency. Data compiled by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting showed that Borno recorded 5,706 insecurity-related deaths between 2021 and mid-2026. Humanitarian agencies reported that nearly 4,000 civilians were killed across the Borno-Adamawa-Yobe axis in the first eight months of 2025 alone.

Plateau State has also witnessed relentless violence. Human rights organisations estimate that more than 2,200 people were killed between 2023 and early 2026, including victims of the Christmas Eve attacks in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi and the deadly Mangu crisis.

Benue State has suffered similar devastation. More than 3,600 people were reportedly killed between 2023 and early 2026. Amnesty International documented at least 2,600 deaths and 135 attacks across over 50 communities between January 2023 and February 2024 alone.

The violence culminated in the Yelwata massacre, where more than 100 people were reportedly killed. An estimated 500,000 residents have been displaced, while farms, schools, health centres and critical infrastructure have been destroyed.

63,111 killed during Buhari’s administration

The roots of the current crisis predate the Tinubu administration. Data from the Nigeria Security Tracker, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations, showed that 63,111 Nigerians were killed during the eight-year administration of late former President Muhammadu Buhari between June 2015 and May 2023.

The deaths resulted from terrorism, banditry, communal clashes, farmer-herder conflicts, cult violence, kidnappings and extrajudicial killings. The tracker recorded 5,556 deaths in 2015, 5,763 in 2016, 4,618 in 2017, 6,565 in 2018, 8,340 in 2019, 9,694 in 2020, 10,575 in 2021, 9,079 in 2022 and 2,921 between January and May 2023.

By May 2023, Nigeria’s cumulative death toll from violent incidents had climbed to 63,111

Senior military officers affected by insecurity

Before the recent death of Major-General Rabe, who was abducted alongside his wife, several senior military officers had also fallen victim to terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent crime across the country.

Major-General Mohammed Idris Alkali (retd.), former Chief of Administration at Army Headquarters, was declared missing on September 3, 2018, while travelling from Abuja to Bauchi. He was attacked during a violent protest in Plateau State. His remains were recovered from an abandoned well in October 2018.

Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), a former Chief of Defence Staff, was shot dead by gunmen along the Abuja–Keffi Expressway on December 18, 2018, while returning from his farm. Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Maisaka (retd.), former Director of Medical Training and Operations at Defence Headquarters, was killed alongside his grandchild when gunmen attacked his Kaduna residence on November 8, 2021.

Colonel Rabi’u Garba Yandoto (retd.) and his two children were abducted by bandits on the Gusau–Tsafe Road in Zamfara State on January 1, 2023, and released 10 days later after negotiations. Major-General Richard C. Duru (retd.) was kidnapped in Owerri, Imo State, in September 2023. He was later reportedly killed by his abductors despite ransom efforts.

Brigadier-General Uwem Harold Udokwere (retd.) was stabbed to death by armed robbers who invaded his Abuja residence on June 22, 2024. Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga (retd.), former NYSC Director-General, was abducted alongside nine others in Katsina State on February 5, 2025, and regained freedom after 56 days in captivity.

Colonel Joseph Ajanaku (retd.) was kidnapped from his Plateau State residence in January 2026 but was rescued the same day by security forces. Brigadier-General Oseni Braimah, Commander of the 29 Task Force Brigade, was killed alongside 17 soldiers during a Boko Haram attack on military formations in Benisheikh, Borno State, on April 9, 2026.

State police a potential security game changer – Experts

Security experts and other stakeholders have expressed optimism that if President Tinubu assents to the State Police Bill passed by the National Assembly, the security situation in the country would improve.

Bernard Mikko, a political scientist and former member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, has expressed optimism that the establishment of state police would significantly enhance security across Nigeria if properly implemented.

In a telephone interview with BusinessDay, Mikko however, cautioned against the process being hijacked by any individual or group for political or personal interests.

He noted that officers recruited from their local environments are more familiar with the language, culture, terrain and dynamics of the communities they serve, stressing that they would be more effective in policing.

Mikko argued that the current system, which often deploys officers to states with completely different cultural, religious and social backgrounds, creates challenges in intelligence gathering and community relations.

Similarly, Kabiru Adamu, a security consultant, argued that local policing structures were better equipped to understand and address the unique security challenges within their communities.

He noted that officers recruited from their localities possess deeper knowledge of the terrain, language, culture and social networks, making it easier to identify criminal elements, gather intelligence and prevent attacks before they occur.

Adeniyi Shodeinde, a retired military officer, said the effectiveness of state police will depend on structured coordination within a unified national security system rather than political interference. He insisted that constitutional safeguards and inter-agency rules must guide operations to prevent abuse.