Crime

Over 2,000 Nigerians Killed by Insurgents and Bandits in First Half of 2025 – NHRC

Published by Tope Fakinlede on July 10th, 2025.

Over 2,000 Nigerians Killed by Insurgents and Bandits in First Half of 2025 – NHRC

More than 2,200 Nigerians lost their lives to terrorist and bandit attacks in just the first six months of 2025, according to a new report from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Citing the report on Tuesday, Reuters revealed that violent deaths in the country’s ongoing security crisis have already surpassed those recorded throughout all of 2024.

Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of the NHRC, presented the grim statistics in Abuja, urging the Nigerian government to respond with urgent and decisive action to curb the violence.

The data show that at least 2,266 people were killed between January and June this year, a sharp increase from the 1,083 deaths recorded during the same period in 2024. The total number of deaths in 2024 was 2,194 — already exceeded in just six months of 2025.

In June alone, 606 lives were lost, with some of the most devastating attacks occurring in Benue State. In the Yelewata and Dauda communities, around 200 individuals were killed by armed attackers.

“These aren’t just statistics,” Ojukwu said. “Each number represents a person — a parent, a child, a breadwinner. Families have been shattered, and entire communities devastated by this senseless violence.”

The NHRC report also recorded 857 kidnappings in the first half of 2025. While this marks a decrease from the 1,461 abductions during the same timeframe in 2024, the threat remains severe.

Additionally, the report highlighted an uptick in attacks on security personnel. At least 17 soldiers were killed in Kaduna and Niger states, and over 40 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force lost their lives in Zamfara State.

Nigeria continues to grapple with multiple overlapping security challenges, including insurgency in the northeast, rampant banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, herder-farmer clashes in the north-central region, and secessionist violence in the southeast.