INSECURITY: 281 civilians, 22 soldiers, seven policemen killed within one month, report says

No fewer than 22 soldiers and seven policemen have been killed in the ongoing security crisis looming in the country in the past one month.

A report that emerged on Thursday from a media tracking group, Nigeria Mourns, noted that 22 soldiers and seven policemen as well as 281 civilians lost their lives to different security menace that occurred across the country in May 2019.

According to the breakdown of the report by the group in Abuja, North-Western Zamfara, Borno and Katsina states top the three states with the highest number of victims.

It revealed Zamfara lost 67 persons to banditry in May, with Borno State losing 64 lives to the Boko Haram terrorists

Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari came third, with 51 deaths from banditry, kidnapping and related crises.

The report said other states included Rivers, 18; Ogun four, Ebonyi five, Taraba, 29; Plateau 12 and Edo 12.

Read also: ZAMFARA: Soldiers kill 29 bandits in Moriki forest

In Jigawa, 26 lives were lost, while Lagos, Delta and Kogi states had one death each.

The report said, “Despite claims of control over insecurity by security heads and the President, several attacks from insurgents, bandits, cultists and herdsmen, among others, have occurred, leaving a host of casualties and reported deaths of 310 citizens.

“Even more worrisome is the fact that citizens have lost confidence in the ability of the government to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, and as they continue to live in fear of attacks; many have taken to securing arms to protect themselves.

“The recurring violent incidents bring to mind several questions, among which are: why do these attacks abound despite the deployment of security personnel to troubled areas of the country? How useful are the intelligentsia of the security forces to the prevention of these mass atrocities?”

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