Between May 31 and December 24, 2023, Nigeria experienced 4,258 incidents of insecurity across 573 local government areas, according to data from Beacon Consulting, an indigenous security firm.
News About Nigeria gathered that these high figures reveal the extent of the security challenges faced by the country, which are mostly caused by non-state actors.
Additionally, the data shows that 2,719 people were abducted, and at least 5,691 people died as a result of the violence; 1,902 residents suffered various degrees of injury.
Notably, the military was able to rescue 721 kidnapped victims during the same period.
A monthly breakdown of the data points out the severity of the situation.
In June alone, 854 people were killed, 239 were kidnapped, and 158 sustained injuries.
The violence continued throughout the subsequent months, with fluctuations in the number of incidents.
Between June and December 24, 2023, the military carried out actions in response to the worsening situation, which led to the release of 1,987 kidnapped persons.
However, the security challenges persist and require a comprehensive approach to address the root causes.
Security expert Jackson Ojo pointed out the need for economic improvement to combat rising insecurity.
He said, “The issue of insecurity was inherited by the current administration, and the hardship in the country has fueled it. These criminals see it as a way out of poverty. The economy must be improved for insecurity to be reduced in the country.
“Also, there is a need for political will to end criminality in the country. Without the will, our security agencies cannot perform effectively.”
In related news, News About Nigeria reported that the Nigerian Army announced that it would begin the process to address the insecurity in the country.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema, made this known in a statement earlier in December, noting that the Nigerian Army would be carrying out an extensive evaluation and review of the operational engagements currently going on in the theatres of operations across the six geopolitical zones.
