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A human rights organisation, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in Nigeria, revealing that at least 1,402 people were killed and 1,800 abducted within the first 96 days of 2026.
In a report released on Monday, the group said the figures cover the period from January 1 to April 6, 2026, describing the trend as “widespread and escalating” across several parts of the country.
According to the report, the latest figures represent a sharp increase from its earlier assessment in March, which recorded 1,050 deaths and 1,690 abductions within 78 days, indicating an additional 350 deaths and 110 abductions within just over two weeks.
The organisation said that, on average, about 15 persons were killed and 20 abducted daily during the review period, with incidents reported across states including Borno, Kaduna, Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa.
Intersociety further noted a spike in violence during the Easter season, reporting that over 100 people were killed during Holy Week, while 34 deaths were recorded on Easter Sunday alone, underscoring what it described as a pattern of intensified attacks during religious periods.
The group attributed the violence to activities of armed insurgents and criminal groups, while also alleging complicity or inaction by state actors, a claim that has remained a subject of public debate.
It also accused the Nigerian government of attempting to downplay the scale and nature of the attacks, alleging that authorities often frame the incidents as farmer–herder clashes rather than targeted violence.
The report comes amid continued security challenges across the country, with recurring attacks, mass abductions, and killings by armed groups contributing to a growing humanitarian crisis.
