Many prominent individuals, including global organisations, continue to condemn the unending insecurity in Nigeria. In its recent report, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, claimed that more than 2000 innocent Nigerians were killed in the last six months.
The organisation claimed that the untimely death of the masses was championed by bandits and insurgents who operated freely in some parts of the country. It claimed that the total number of people killed in the first half of this year is more than those killed within the same time frame the previous year.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu, disclosed the figures during a presentation in Abuja on Tuesday. According to the figures released to the newsmen, 2,266 people were killed between January and June 2025, which is more than the total number of people killed throughout 2024.
The figure revealed that in 2024, 1,083 Nigerians were killed in the first half of the year and 2,194 lost their lives to insecurity throughout the twelve months of the same year.
“These were not mere figures on a report; they were fathers, mothers, children, and breadwinners; families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and futures extinguished in moments of senseless brutality,” Ojukwu was quoted.
Explaining further, the figure revealed that 606 people were killed last month alone. The victims include those gruesomely murdered by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in Yelewata and Dauda communities in Benue State.
Also among the victims of the unending insecurity in Nigeria are the security operatives. The agency claimed that many security personnel were sent to their graves by the criminal elements, stating that more than 17 soldiers killed in Kaduna and Niger states and over 40 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force killed in the northwestern Zamfara State.
Similarly, nothing less than 800 people were reportedly kidnapped within the first six months of 2025. However, this figure is less than recorded within the same period in 2024 when 1,461got kidnapped.
Meanwhile, despite the figure released by the HNRC and other similar reports, the federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu insisted that it is winning the war against insecurity in Nigeria.
Nigeria Safer, Better, Says National Security Adviser
Despite the killings and kidnappings, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said the security in the country has improved. He declared that Nigeria is safer, more stable and more attractive to foreign investors.
The NSA made this known while speaking at the National Cybersecurity Conference 2025 held in Abuja on Wednesday. He urged people to forget what is being reported in the media, stating that things are getting better every day.
“Things are changing. We are stabilising the country. Forget what some people are saying — Nigeria is safer and better every single day,” Ribadu stated.
Speaking further, he claimed that the Niger Delta as well as the South-East is safer now than before. He added that no external influence will be allowed to destabilise the country under President Tinubu’s administration.
“Niger Delta is safer than ever before. The South-East is returning to normalcy. Those fueling unrest from abroad will be tracked and prosecuted. We will not allow external forces to destabilise our progress,” he said.
Despite the position of the federal government, the opposition insisted that security has become worse under this administration.
Nigeria Is At War – Peter Obi Tells Tinubu Amid Insecurity
One of the critics of this administration, Peter Obi, recently described the security in the country as terrible. The former Anambra State Governor claimed that without a doubt, Nigeria is at war as a result of the situation.
According to him, killing incidents recorded in Nigeria are more than the figure recorded in countries at war. Therefore, he urged the President to act fast to save the innocent people being killed daily.
Obi made this known while reacting to the recent killing of over 100 people. The killing occurred during a violent clash between bandits and the Zamfara Civilian Protection Guard.
“We can no longer afford the dangerous denial. The number of lives lost in Nigeria now mirrors countries at war, and the death in our own country even happens more often than in countries at war,” he said.
Added that “it is time to prioritise the security of lives over infrastructure projects. Governance must now become about saving lives, not cutting ribbons and headlining ceremonies on front pages.”
Meanwhile, the insecurity in Nigeria, as well as economic hardship, has led to the formation of a coalition by prominent politicians hoping to send the President out of the Aso-Rock.
