A new report by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited has revealed that at least 1,111 Nigerians werekilled and 276 abducted by terrorists, bandits, and other armed groups across the country in June 2025, despite a noticeable decline in overall security incidents compared to the previous month.
According to the report, security incidents fell significantly by 48.04%, dropping from 895 in May to 465 in June. Fatalities also declined by 14.27%, from 1,296 in May to 1,111 in June, while abductions dropped sharply by 74.59%, from 1,086 to 276.
However, civilian casualties remained alarmingly high, making up 72.37% (804 deaths) of the total fatalities recorded in June. The report cited farmer-herder clashes as a major driver of deaths in the North-Central region, while the North-West recorded the highest number of abductions, accounting for 72.10% of the total kidnapped victims.
For the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, the report noted a slight 1.95% decrease in security incidents compared to Q1 (2,359 in Q1 vs. 2,313 in Q2). Despite the drop in incidents, fatalities rose by 5.66% — from 3,301 in Q1 to 3,499 in Q2. Fatality spikes were particularly high in the North-Central (+34.97%), North-West (+5.36%), and North-East (+12.04%) regions.
Abductions in Q2 decreased by 11.45%, with 2,540 reported cases compared to 2,862 in Q1. All three northern regions experienced notable declines in kidnapping cases during the period.
In the first half of 2025, Nigeria recorded 4,672 security incidents, marking a 9.21% increase compared to the first half of 2024. Fatalities in the same period surged to 6,800 — a 13.67% rise from H2 2024 and a staggering 19.11% increase from H1 2024.
Zamfara State emerged as the most affected in terms of both killings and abductions, recording 1,088 deaths and 1,755 kidnappings within the six-month period.
The report highlighted the ongoing threats in the North-West and North-East regions from armed non-state actors, including ideological insurgents and bandits. It also flagged increasing violence in the North-Central zone, especially in Niger, Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states, with frequent armed attacks, abductions, and raids on rural communities.
The grim statistics come amid mounting pressure on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address the country’s deteriorating security landscape.
