In the span of ten months since Bola Tinubu took office last May, the nation has been gripped by tragedy, as a total of 6,931 lives have been lost.
Comparatively, during President Muhammadu Buhari’s first ten months in power from May 2015 to March 2016, Nigeria witnessed the loss of 8,356 lives due to insecurity.
This was followed by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure, where 2,059 lives were claimed by insecurity from May 2011 to March 2012. These figures, compiled by the Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), a project of the Council on Foreign Relations Africa program, meticulously document and map violence in Nigeria driven by political, economic, or social grievances.
However, it’s noted that these figures are likely conservative as many killings often go unreported or underreported.
Highlighting recent events, in January 2024, security forces dealt a blow to insurgents and bandits, eliminating 266 of them in various operations across the country. The following month, February 2024, saw even more decisive action as 974 terrorists were neutralized by troops.
Tragically, the scourge of violence continues, as evidenced by the assertion of Chief lorbee Ihagh, Chairman of Benue Ethnic Leaders and President General of Mzough U Tiv worldwide, who stated that herdsmen militia claimed the lives of at least 147 individuals in attacks on Benue communities over the past two months.
As of March 21, the toll of insecurity remains alarming, with no fewer than 432 lives lost in just the third month of the year.
The menace of recurring bandit attacks persists in Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, and numerous states in the North-East and North-Central regions, resulting in the deaths and abduction of thousands.
Even the South-East, South-South, and parts of the South-West have not been spared, grappling with the activities of unknown gunmen, criminal gangs, and armed herders.
How 2,059 were killed in Jonathan’s first ten months
May 2011 – 29
June 2011 – 59
July 2011 – 94
Aug 2011 – 131
Sept 2011 – 109
Oct 2011 -72
Nov 2011 – 254
Dec 2011 – 348
Jan 2012 – 418
Feb 2012 – 226
Mar 2012 – 319
Total———2,059
Death toll in Buhari’s first ten months
May 2015 -767
June 2015 -808
July 2015 -1,299
Aug 2015 – 790
Sept 2015 – 514
Oct 2015 – 826
Nov 2015 – 510
Dec 2015 – 809
Jan 2016 – 484
Feb 2016 – 1,076
Mar 2016 – 468
Total ———8,356
How 6,931 persons were killed under Tinubu in 10 months
May 2023 – 587
June 2023 – 690
July 2023 – 620
Aug 2023 – 682
Sept 2023 – 527
Oct 2023- 621
Nov 2023 – 869
Dec 2023 – 837
Jan 2024 – 666
Feb 2024 – 1,374
Mar 2024- 432
Total————6,931
