At least 316 civilians have been killed in violent attacks across 15 states within 71 days of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, raising concerns over the effectiveness of ongoing security measures.
Tinubu had on November 26, 2025 declared a nationwide security emergency following coordinated attacks on a church in Kwara and schools in Kebbi and Niger states, which resulted in the abduction of more than 350 persons.
As part of immediate steps, the President ordered additional military recruitment, withdrawal of police officers attached to VIPs to boost frontline deployment, and the creation of forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits from forested areas.
However, data compiled from reported incidents indicate that over 316 civilians have been killed in more than 31 attacks since the declaration, averaging violent incidents every other day across the country.
Early December attacks
Within days of the declaration, gunmen struck communities in Sokoto, Anambra, Taraba, and Zamfara states, killing at least 28 people.
Seven residents were killed in Gatawa and Shalla communities in Sokoto, while two worshippers, including a priest’s wife, were killed during an attack on St. Andrews Anglican Church in Anambra.
In Taraba, 17 internally displaced persons returning to Tse Ajogo village were killed by militias, while separate attacks in Zamfara left two people dead.
Yuletide killings
Violence intensified during the Christmas period, with at least 48 people killed across several states.
Twelve persons died in an attack on a mining site in Plateau, while multiple incidents in Benue, Borno, Zamfara, Gombe, Adamawa, and Nasarawa claimed additional lives.
Among the incidents was a Christmas Day suicide bombing inside a mosque in Maiduguri that killed five worshippers and an improvised explosive device explosion in Zamfara that claimed nine lives.
January attacks
In early January, at least 42 people were killed during a week-long attack on communities in Niger State, where gunmen reportedly operated with little resistance and abducted several residents.
Across January, at least 84 additional deaths were recorded in attacks spanning Plateau, Benue, Oyo, Sokoto, Kano, Borno, Kogi, and Niger states.
Notable incidents included the killing of a woman and her six children in Kano, the murder of 10 labourers working on a bridge project in Borno, and a bus attack in Kogi that left 20 dead.
Deadliest 48 hours
Violence peaked in early February with over 114 people killed within 48 hours.
Seventeen residents were killed in Borno on February 2, while five others died in Plateau the same day.
On February 3, terrorists attacked Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing at least 75 people in what authorities described as one of the deadliest attacks in the state’s history.
Simultaneously, 13 people were killed in Katsina, while four others died in a separate attack in Benue.
Security analysts warn that the figures represent only reported cases and may be higher, as many attacks in remote areas go undocumented.
The continued killings have intensified calls for more decisive and coordinated security strategies to curb the rising wave of violence across the country.
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