183 Nigerian Lives Lost To Insecurity In Five Days, 23% More Than One Week Earlier

More lives were lost to insecurity in Nigeria in the last week compared to the week before as 183 people died due to violent incidents between Tuesday, June 2, and Saturday, June 6.

Statistics from the Nigeria Security Tracker, a project that documents violent incidents

driven by political and socio-economic grievances, showed that there was a 22.8 per cent increase in fatalities within five days. HumAngle had reported that, between May 25 and June 1, some 149 people lost their lives to similar circumstances.

Nearly half of the latest fatalities were in Kaduna State where 87 people lost their lives. This was followed by Zamfara where 26 people died, Borno (20), Benue (11), Kogi (11) and Taraba (11).

Six persons died in Rivers, two in Akwa Ibom, two in Ebonyi, two in Katsina, and one life was lost each in Bayelsa, Delta, and Plateau within the five-day period.

Although there was a communal clash on June 2 between two communities in Kwara, Lafiagi and Edogi, no life was lost in the incident.

However one person was severely injured and five others sustained minor injuries in the incident, , according to the state police spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi.

Out of all the people who were killed in the last week, 39 were civilians, 16 were victims of kidnapping, nine were security agents, and 23 were classified as sectarian actors.

Among the dead were 15 members of the Boko Haram sect, two were kidnappers, two were robbers, and 77 were grouped as other armed persons.

The heaviest death toll was recorded on Friday, June 5, when no fewer than 70 bandits and cattle rustlers were killed during an operation of the Air Force in Kachia Forest, Kaduna State.

Following the air attack on criminals, the military said: “As a matter of security concern, people in this general area should report those with sudden and suspicious injuries to the security forces.”

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen.  John Enenche, who made the call in a statement, explained that this was to make sure those who escaped the air raid were mopped up by the operatives.

Between June 2 and June 3 “suspected armed bandits” attacked six villages across two local government areas in Zamfara and killed 21 people.

The armed groups were confronted by members of Yan Sakai, a local vigilance group, which led to a shootout between the two groups.

“Some victims were attacked and killed while coming back from the funeral prayer of those killed. Five persons sustained gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment,” the police stated.

On Thursday, at least 11 people were killed and many injured during attacks in Tungwa and Utsua-Daa, Taraba State. Witnesses reported that houses were burnt and the residents started fleeing their homes.

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, at  the weekend said Nigeria’s fight against insecurity and efforts to acquire modern equipment were being frustrated by international politics.