13,346 killed, 9,207 abducted under Tinubu - Report

By Olamilekan Adigun

A total of 13,346 people have been killed and 9,207 abducted across Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration on May 29, 2023.

This surge in violence, spanning 667 local government areas, is attributed to terrorism, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, and other forms of social upheaval.

A recent Nigeria Security Report by Beacon Consulting, a firm specialised in security risk management, gave the detailed breakdown.

According to the findings, there were 5,802 deaths and 2,754 kidnappings, from May to December 2023.

The situation worsened in 2024, with 7,544 killed and 6,453 abducted between January and September.

Meanwhile, experts have expressed concerns over the unending security challenges and are urging President Tinubu to take more decisive action.

“The security crisis is severe,” a security analyst, Nnamdi Chive, told Saturday PUNCH.

“Economic hardship has only exacerbated the problem, compounding an already grave situation.”

At a security and peace summit hosted by the North-West Governors Forum in Katsina State in July, President Tinubu described the ongoing insecurity, especially in the North-West, as “inherited security compromises.”

He suggested that the current banditry and insurgency were partly due to historical injustices faced by conflict-affected communities.

Despite this, the experts argued that a more effective strategy was needed.

Chive emphasised the importance of securing Nigeria’s borders saying, “National security involves protecting your borders effectively.

“The North-East and North-West borders need to be better controlled to prevent foreign elements from destabilising local communities,” he said.

Analysing President Tinubu’s government approach since assumption of office, he said, “The government’s efforts have had some success, such as in Borno State, where displaced persons are beginning to return.

“However, insurgents are adapting by shifting their operations to new areas.”