By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
MORE THAN 6,549 Nigerians have been killed and 3,804 abducted in waves of mass atrocities sweeping across the country since May 2024, data released by Civil Society Leaders has revealed.
The findings, unveiled during the 8th National Day of Mourning on 28 May, underscored the persistent danger faced by citizens in Borno, Katsina, Zamfara, Kaduna, Benue, and Plateau – listed as the six most dangerous states in 2024.
, Sokoto, Niger, Borno, Zamfara, and Kaduna also emerged as the states with the highest abduction risks.
According to Global Rights Executive Director, Abiodun Baiyewu, the data documented at least 5,353 killings and 5,171 abductions in 2024, with a further 1,196 deaths and 1,367 kidnappings already recorded in 2025.
The figures reflected atrocities by terrorists and armed groups operating across Nigeria’s conflict-prone regions.
Baiyewu, addressing journalists in Abuja, described the statistics as part of a broader national crisis, calling attention to the silence of authorities in the face of deepening insecurity.
She stated the figures were compiled through verified reports of violent attacks by armed non-state actors, including insurgents and bandits.
As the country marked another year of remembrance for victims of violence, the group criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to uphold its constitutional responsibility under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution to ensure the safety and welfare of Nigerians.
Rising terror networks such as Lakurawa and Mahmuda were cited as operating with impunity—openly extorting residents, collecting illegal levies, and demanding ransom for peace.
These groups, according to the Civil Society Leaders, now fill the vacuum left by a weakening state presence in rural and semi-urban communities.
The coalition tabled a seven-point demand to the Nigerian government, calling for a comprehensive crackdown on the financial and logistical support systems enabling terrorist and bandit networks.
It urged federal authorities to trace and dismantle ransom channels and prosecute all individuals found complicit in violent crimes.
In addition, the group demanded legal accountability for perpetrators of election-related violence in 2023, and a renewed national resolve to restore peace and justice for victims of conflict.
The Day of Mourning was launched as a citizens’ platform to remember thousands who have lost their lives to violent conflict across Nigeria, and to demand institutional reforms that guarantee justice, accountability, and national healing.
