At least 2,266 Nigerians have been killed by insurgents and bandits in the first six months of 2025, surpassing the entire death toll recorded in 2024, according to a new report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The data was presented in Abuja on Tuesday by NHRC Executive Secretary Tony Ojukwu, who urged the federal government to take immediate and decisive action to stem the rising tide of violence across the country.
Ojukwu described the figures as far more than statistics. “These were not mere figures on a report; they were fathers, mothers, children, and breadwinners; families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and futures extinguished in moments of senseless brutality,” he said.
The figures represent a sharp spike from the 1,083 killings recorded in the first half of 2024 and even exceed the 2,194 deaths documented for the entire year. The month of June alone saw 606 fatalities, including nearly 200 people murdered in coordinated gun attacks on the Yelewata and Dauda communities in Benue State.
Beyond killings, the commission also reported 857 abductions between January and June 2025. While this marks a reduction from 1,461 kidnappings in the same period last year, attacks on security personnel have increased.
READ MORE: NHRC Raises Alarm as 261,483 Rights Abuses Rock Nigeria in April Alone
The report highlighted deadly assaults on law enforcement and local defense groups. Over 17 military officers were killed in Kaduna and Niger States, while more than 40 Civilian Joint Task Force operatives were slain in Zamfara State.
Despite ongoing military operations, Nigeria remains overwhelmed by multiple security crises—including the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast, armed banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, violent herder clashes in the north-central zone, and separatist agitations in the southeast.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
