At least 624 people were killed and 419 others abducted across Nigeria within 28 days in February, according to a security report highlighting the country’s worsening security crisis.
The figures, compiled from multiple security and media sources, indicate a surge in violent attacks carried out by terrorists, bandits, and militant groups across several regions of the country.
According to the report, the violence affected states including Zamfara State, Kaduna State, Niger State, Kwara State, Benue State, and Borno State. Armed groups reportedly attacked villages, highways, and communities, often arriving on motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately, burning homes, and abducting residents.
One of the most devastating incidents occurred in Kwara State where hundreds of armed men reportedly stormed the villages of Woro and Nuku in early February. During the attack, gunmen surrounded the communities, blocked escape routes, and carried out door-to-door assaults that left at least 162 people dead. Some reports later suggested the death toll may have exceeded 200 as more bodies were discovered in nearby bushes.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers burned houses, executed villagers, and abducted several residents. Local authorities indicated that the assault may have been triggered after residents refused demands to adopt an extremist interpretation of Islamic law.
In another attack in Zamfara State, armed men riding motorcycles reportedly killed dozens of villagers in a single night. A local lawmaker said the gunmen moved from one community to another, leaving at least 50 people dead while several others were abducted or declared missing.
Residents claimed they had earlier alerted authorities after spotting more than 150 motorcycles carrying armed men, but security forces allegedly failed to respond before the attack occurred.
Kidnappings also remained widespread throughout the month. The report noted that 419 people were abducted from villages, churches, highways, and residential areas, with armed groups increasingly relying on ransom payments as a major source of funding.
In one incident in Kaduna State, gunmen attacked Kauru village in the early hours of February 7, killing three people and kidnapping eleven others, including a Catholic priest.
Security experts warn that Nigeria’s security crisis is becoming increasingly complex as multiple armed groups operate across the country. These include factions of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, as well as armed bandit gangs and local militias.
The insurgency linked to Boko Haram, which began in 2009, has already claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people across northeastern Nigeria and neighboring countries. Analysts say the violence is now spreading beyond traditional conflict zones into other regions, particularly parts of the North-Central region.
For many residents of affected communities, daily life has become increasingly dangerous. Farmers have abandoned their fields, markets have been deserted, and many families have fled to safer towns.
In response to the escalating violence, Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional troops and launched a new military initiative aimed at strengthening security in vulnerable communities, particularly following the February massacre in Kwara State.
Security agencies have also intensified intelligence gathering and joint operations in several states in an effort to dismantle criminal networks responsible for kidnappings and mass killings.
However, civil society groups and security analysts argue that the country needs a broader strategy to address the crisis, including improved rural policing, stronger intelligence coordination, and expanded economic opportunities to reduce recruitment by armed groups.
