Data have shown that 1,230 persons were killed between January and March 2023 across Nigeria.
A report by a civil society organization, Global Rights, entitled: “1st Quarter Mass Atrocities Casualties Tracking Report” also revealed that 79 security personnel were part of those slain while over 658 abductions took place across Nigeria within the period.
In what has been an unfortunate trend in the data collated in the first quarter of 2023, banditry remained the largest cause of violent deaths across the country with 29.27 percent (360 deaths) while an existing threat is the rise in extra-judicial killings and herdsmen related killings which constitute about 10.08 percent and 13.65 percent respectively with at least 124 and 168 deaths each.
According to the report, Boko-Haram/ISWAP-related atrocities constituted 22.11 percent (at least 272 deaths). Political killings mostly due to the recent 2023 General Elections claimed at least 7.72 percent constituting at least 95 deaths.
A further look into the report showed that secessionists’ violent campaign mostly in the Southeast part of the country contributed 6.75 percent representing at least 83 deaths while cult clashes took 4.96 percent, which amounted to 61 deaths. Isolated attacks, mob attacks, armed robbery and communal clashes took the remaining 5.45 percent with a combined data of at least 67 deaths. This summary indicates an alarming increase in the activities of Boko-Haram/ISWAP in recent times, extra-judicial killings mostly perpetrated by security personnel and herdsmen activities by mostly Fulani herders.
According to the report, in the first quarter of 2023, 6.42 percent of all lives lost to violent killings were security personnel numbering at least 79 security operatives killed across Nigeria while the remaining 93.58 percent of lives lost violently are those of civilians numbering at least 1,151 deaths.
Data on the brazen killings of security operatives is further divided into para-military: Police was pegged at 54 deaths constituting 68.35 percent, NSCDC, 10 deaths representing 12.66 percent and Military, at least 15 deaths accounting for 18.99 percent. With 54 lives lost, Police lives lost in the first quarter of 2023 constituted the highest losses among security operatives.
North tops chart of violent incidents
In examining the disaggregated data on violent incidents in the first quarter of 2023, the report confirmed the popular opinion that each region of Nigeria is beguiled by a peculiar type of violent incident.
