Nigeria’s Insurgent and Bandit Killings in First Half of 2025 Surpass All of 2024 – Human Rights Commission
Story for Higher SEO Ranking (By Okafor Joseph Afam, Published July 9, 2025):
Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria is facing a deepening security crisis as more civilians were killed by insurgents and armed bandits in the first half of 2025 than in the entire year of 2024, according to alarming new data released by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
In a stark presentation delivered Tuesday in Abuja, the NHRC revealed that at least 2,266 people were killed between January and June 2025, marking a dramatic rise from 1,083 deaths during the same period in 2024, and surpassing the 2,194 total deaths recorded for the entire year of 2024. This staggering increase of over 100% in casualties highlights the worsening insecurity across multiple regions of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that each statistic represents a human life lost—someone’s father, mother, child, or sibling. “These are not just numbers. Behind every digit is a shattered family and a grieving community,” he said, urging the government to take urgent, coordinated action.
The crisis spans Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. In the northeast, the military continues its protracted battle against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents. In the northwest, criminal gangs and bandits engage in mass abductions and violent raids, while central states remain plagued by deadly clashes between farmers and herders. In the southeast, separatist agitations have morphed into armed confrontations.
June 2025 was particularly deadly, with 606 killings recorded, making it the bloodiest month so far this year. Notably, coordinated attacks on Yelewata and Dauda communities in Benue State claimed nearly 200 lives, representing almost a fifth of the month’s total.
Analysts warn that without urgent intervention—including improved military coordination, investment in intelligence, and a focus on addressing the root causes of violence—Nigeria’s spiraling insecurity may pose a serious threat to national cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NHRC has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to act decisively, ensuring that the growing wave of violence does not continue unchecked. As the country grapples with economic hardship, high inflation, and rising unemployment, the escalating death toll adds a humanitarian dimension to Nigeria’s growing list of challenges.
