Grim Report: Nigeria Faces 51% Jump In Fatalities, 971 Kidnappings In October

The findings were included in the ‘October 2024 Nigeria Security Report’ by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL), a security risk management and intelligence firm, which was made available on Tuesday.

The report highlights a marked decline in Nigeria’s security metrics, with significant increases in abductions and fatalities suggesting 2024 may become the worst year in terms of security performance in nearly a decade.

The month saw a rise in violent incidents, including kidnappings for ransom, attacks by non-state armed groups, criminal gangs, and violent protests in response to the country’s economic and political challenges.

BSIL’s analysis recorded a 51% increase in fatalities and a 24.42% rise in abductions.

Beacon Intel’s breakdown reveals Nigeria faced 861 security incidents in October, of which 64.92% (559 incidents) involved security threats, 24.79% (215 incidents) were related to security forces’ actions, and 4.99% (43 incidents) were classified as safety incidents. The month also saw 1,545 deaths, with civilians making up 67.7% of fatalities, non-state actors 25.89%, and security forces 6.4%, alongside 971 abductions.

Regionally, the North East and North West bore the brunt of incidents, accounting for 52.03% of reported events, while the South East experienced the fewest at 7.78%.

“The number of abductions rose from 807 in September to 971 in October, a 20.32% increase, reversing the 11.03% decline recorded the previous month,” the report states. The North West was hardest hit, with 83.83% of abductions, while the South West saw the fewest at 0.21%. Of those abducted, 98.25% were in the north, while the south accounted for 1.75%.

Fatalities also surged from 1,022 in September to 1,545 in October, a 51.17% increase. The North West (37.93%) and North Central (28.16%) had the highest fatality rates, together comprising 66.09% of the deaths, while the South-South had the fewest at 3.56%.

In an interview with DAILY POST, Dr. Kabir Adamu, CEO of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, pointed to weaknesses in Nigeria’s security management as a key factor behind the rising insecurity. He noted that socio-economic challenges, unresolved political grievances, and climate change are driving factors.

Adamu also highlighted the lack of effective communication and engagement with Nigerians on counter-terrorism measures, underscoring a failure to implement key policies, such as the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2016), the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (2017), and the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act (2022).