Amnesty International has said that Nigeria is grappling with a deepening abduction crisis, with at least 1,100 people kidnapped across northern states between January and April 2026, urging President Bola Tinubu to take urgent and decisive action to curb escalating insecurity.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the organisation said the wave of kidnappings, targeting rural communities and internally displaced persons, has reached alarming levels, with victims frequently subjected to torture, starvation, rape, and other forms of inhumane treatment while in captivity.
The group noted that the abductions, largely driven by armed groups seeking ransom payments, have become increasingly widespread and brutal, with many victims held for months under harsh conditions.
According to Amnesty International, Nigeria’s Director, Isa Sanusi, said gunmen across the country are intensifying attacks on vulnerable communities, combining mass killings with large-scale abductions for financial gain. He added that available figures likely under-represent the true scale of the crisis.
The report detailed several major incidents. On February 3, armed attackers invaded Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, killing about 200 people and abducting 176 others. In Zamfara State, 150 people, mostly women and children, were abducted in early April during attacks on Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages.
In Borno State, suspected Boko Haram fighters abducted more than 100 displaced persons working in the Kumbul forest near Mafa on March 19. Earlier, on March 3, the group attacked Ngoshe town in Gwoza, abducting over 400 people.
Other incidents cited include the abduction of 57 people in Niger State on January 3, and 92 others in separate attacks across Zamfara State on February 19. On March 22, gunmen abducted 30 worshippers from three churches in Kaduna State. On January 18, gunmen stormed three churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducting at least 166 people during a morning service.
Amnesty International accused Nigerian authorities of failing to meet their constitutional and international obligations to protect lives and ensure security, describing the situation as a serious breach of human rights commitments. The organisation called on the federal government to take urgent steps to improve security, ensure the safe rescue of abducted persons, and bring perpetrators to justice.
