… North-West, North-Central Hit Hardest As Terror Escalates
…Kwara Records Deadliest Attack In Single Da
Daud Olatunji
Nigeria recorded one of its deadliest months in recent memory as armed bandits and terrorists killed 624 people and abducted 419 others across the country in February, according to a new security tracker report by the Research and Data Department of HumAngle.
The report, obtained by PLATFORM TIMES on Wednesday, paints a grim picture of insecurity, revealing that terror-related attacks and organized armed violence now account for more than half of all recorded incidents nationwide.
A total of 136 violent incidents were documented, representing only a slight 3.5% decline from January. However, fatalities surged sharply, rising from 481 deaths in January to 624 in February, an almost 30% increase.
The North-West recorded the highest number of attacks with 44 incidents, closely followed by the North-Central with 40, while the insurgency-plagued North-East reported 24.
At the state level, Zamfara led in attacks with 19 incidents, followed by Benue (15), Borno (12), Plateau (9), and Kebbi (8).
But it was Kwara State that suffered the heaviest death toll, with 174 fatalities, largely linked to a coordinated mass-casualty attack on February 3, the deadliest single-day incident of the month.
Zamfara recorded 149 deaths, while Borno and Kebbi had 48 each, and Benue accounted for 38.
Regionally, the North-Central led in fatalities with 278 deaths, followed by the North-West (217) and North-East (112). Southern states recorded significantly lower deaths, with South-West (9), South-East (5), and South-South (3). Notably, Kano and Jigawa reported no deaths linked to insecurity.
The report also highlighted a disturbing rise in kidnappings, with 419 people abducted across 33 incidents in 13 states, including Niger, Kwara, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Katsina, Sokoto, Kaduna, Zamfara, Benue, Ebonyi, Plateau, Kano, and Ondo.
Zamfara recorded the highest number of abductions with 11 incidents. Other multiple-abduction states included Sokoto (4), Kaduna (3), Benue (3), Niger (2), Kwara (2), and Edo (2).
Civilians Targeted
Attacks on civilians dominated the violence, accounting for 86 incidents and 512 deaths, including armed raids, abductions, and forced disappearances. Other incidents – including battle clashes, explosions, and riots – added 19 deaths to the toll.
One of the most devastating attacks occurred on February 3 in Kwara, claiming 191 lives in a single day, underscoring the deadly efficiency of coordinated terror operations.
Humanitarian Impact
The report warns of severe humanitarian consequences, with displacement, destroyed livelihoods, and widespread trauma affecting communities across the country.
“The scale and persistence of organized armed conflict highlight the urgent need to strengthen civilian protection and address vulnerabilities in conflict-affected areas,” the tracker said.
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Source : HumAngle
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