Insecurity is yet to abate under President Bola Tinubu as no fewer than 555 Nigerians were killed between May 29 when the new administration was inaugurated and July 3, according to a report.
A report by Global Rights, titled ‘Mass atrocities in Nigeria from 2019 to July 2023’ also showed that 267 Nigerians were kidnapped across the country in just one month.
The report says the killings and kidnapping include attacks by bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, gunmen and others.
It noted that under the Tinubu administration, the North-Central geopolitical zone ravaged by banditry had been the most impacted with 312 deaths recorded in 35 days under review.
The North-West recorded 123 deaths, followed by the South-East where 66 residents were killed; 38 deaths were recorded in the North-East; in the South-South region, 11 persons were killed while at least five persons were murdered in the South-West.
An analysis of the trend of killings done by our correspondent showed that regions ravaged by bandits recorded more deaths than other regions. The North-West and North-Central had a total of 435 deaths.
The Programme Manager, Global Rights, Edosa Oviawe, said the struggle for power and poverty were part of the factors fuelling mass atrocities in the country.
He stated, “Ethnic and religious divisions; political interests and power struggles; 20 million out-of-school children; 130 million multidimensionally poor; 90 million absolutely poor; 33 per cent unemployment rate and over 50 per cent youth unemployment among others are drivers of mass atrocities in Nigeria.”
