812 Nigerians killed, 855 abducted in March alone —Security report

A report put together by a security consulting firn, Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, has revealed that in the month of March, a total number of 812 Nigerians were killed and 855 abducted in 770 incidents across the country.

The firm which specializes in tracking and analysing crime and violent occurrences across the country, said the crime wave in the country had risen significantly between February and March, peaking with the high number of casualties recorded within the period.

In the report released in Abuja on Thursday, the intelligence group said the 770 incidents recorded indicated a 4.19 percent increase in comparison to the 739 recorded in February.

The report stated that the incidents surged with the kidnappings rising from 654 to 855, while fatalities also soared across the country.

It added that the increasing violence in the country were the products of terrorism, armed banditry and ethnic militia.

“In the review period, March 01 – 31, 2024, we recorded month-to-month (February 2024 – March 2024) increases across the three main metrics; incidents, fatalities, and abductions,” the survey report said.

“Below is a comparative analysis between February 2024 and March 2024.

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“A breakdown of the incidents indicates an uptick in the growing frequency of violent occurrences within Nigeria in March 2024.

“A total of 770 incidents were recorded, indicating a 4.19% increase in comparison to the 739 recorded in February 2024.

“For abductions, the surge in the number of persons abducted from 654 to 855, indicating a 23.51% decrease, underscores the heightened risk faced by individuals and communities, with abduction emerging as a prevalent tactic employed by various armed groups for various purposes, including ransom, coercion, and furthering political or ideological agendas,” the intel report noted.

“For fatalities, we recorded an 8.71% month-to-month increase from 747 (February 2024) to 812 (March 2024).

“This trend further emphasises the human toll of the escalating violence, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures to protect civilian lives.

“The main factors responsible for these trends include threat elements associated with ongoing terrorism, banditry, and ethnic militia activities which underscores the complex nature of the security challenges facing Nigeria.

“Despite ongoing robust security operations recorded in the review period, these threat elements often operate with impunity, exploiting existing grievances, ethnic tensions, and socio-economic disparities to advance their objectives through violent means,” the report added.

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