Nigeria has recorded more than 40,000 deaths and over 23,000 injuries linked to insecurity since 2019, according to figures released on Thursday by the Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities and Global Rights.
The statistics were unveiled during a public dialogue held under the National Day of Mourning (NDOM), an initiative designed to keep national attention on insecurity, justice for victims and accountability for violent crimes.
Addressing participants at the event, co-chair of the Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, Ken Henshaw, said the gathering aimed to ensure that victims of violence were not ignored as insecurity continued to spread across the country.
“We hope this conversation pushes us to think about what is happening, why it continues to happen and what must change…because a society that cannot pause to acknowledge its losses will eventually struggle to protect its living,” Henshaw said.
Stakeholders at the dialogue observed that insecurity persisted despite repeated assurances from the government, with communities in northern Nigeria among the worst affected by attacks and violent conflicts.
They identified insurgency, banditry, farmer-herder clashes and extrajudicial killings as major drivers of displacement, destruction of livelihoods and deteriorating humanitarian conditions across several regions.
Concerns were also raised over the humanitarian situation in the North-East, where participants disclosed that more than 27,000 people had been killed and over two million displaced since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009.
Representing the National Human Rights Commission, Benedict Agu called for stronger preventive strategies, including effective early warning mechanisms and improved documentation of rights violations.
He further urged authorities to fully enforce the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 as part of efforts to curb insecurity and strengthen accountability.
Organisers of the event noted that internally displaced persons in affected states continued to struggle with inadequate shelter, food shortages and poor access to healthcare services.
Participants criticised what they described as weak government responses to attacks, arguing that official actions were often limited to condemnations without thorough investigations or prosecution of perpetrators.
They also condemned the use of amnesty programmes for criminals, insisting that such measures undermined accountability and promoted impunity.
The dialogue further highlighted the evolving nature of insecurity in Nigeria, noting that violent activities now involved insurgents, bandits, vigilante groups, separatist actors, herders and even security personnel.
According to data presented at the event, “terror pillages” accounted for a large share of casualties recorded nationwide, while extrajudicial killings, including civilian deaths linked to military operations and airstrikes, remained a serious concern.
Speaking further on accountability, stakeholders maintained that government responses to attacks frequently ended with public condemnations, without meaningful investigations or legal consequences for offenders.
They explained that the National Day of Mourning initiative was created in 2018 to document killings across the country and sustain pressure on authorities to address mass atrocities.
The speakers called for a coordinated national strategy involving security agencies, lawmakers, the judiciary, civil society organisations, the media and international partners to tackle insecurity more effectively.
They urged the government to strengthen institutions, improve transparency, prosecute offenders and prioritise justice and compensation for victims of violence.
Stakeholders also stressed that sustained documentation, advocacy and public engagement were necessary to reduce violence and rebuild public confidence in the state.
In addition, they called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, civil society groups and the media to improve accountability and enhance the protection of citizens.
The participants expressed concern over attacks on journalists and restrictions placed on media access in conflict zones, warning that such limitations hindered proper documentation of atrocities.
They warned that the country’s security situation could deteriorate further if urgent reforms were not introduced.
