A new report by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) has painted a troubling picture of Nigeria’s security situation, revealing that 6,800 people lost their lives and 5,402 were kidnapped across the country in the first half of 2025.
According to the Nigeria Security Report, which covers data from June 2025, Q2 2025, and the first six months of the year, the country witnessed 4,672 reported security incidents between January and June. While this represents a slight 1.08% drop from the second half of 2024, it marks a 9.21% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The report noted a sharp 13.67% rise in fatalities from the previous six months, and a 19.11% increase compared to the first half of 2024. BSIL attributed the surge in violence to the continued activities of armed groups, insurgents, and bandits, especially in the North West, North East, and increasingly, the North Central region.
Zamfara State was the worst-hit in terms of violence. It recorded the highest number of deaths at 1,088 and the highest number of kidnappings at 1,755. Overall, kidnapping incidents dropped by 2.4% compared to the second half of 2024 but rose significantly—by 30.43%—when compared to the first half of 2024.
The report identified key flashpoints across the country, noting that:
- The North West and North East continue to grapple with relentless attacks from non-state actors.
- The North Central zone is experiencing a spike in violence, particularly in Niger, Benue, Plateau, and Kwara states, with rural communities suffering armed raids and mass abductions.
- Farmer-herder conflicts are a major cause of fatalities in the North Central region.
Despite the overall grim statistics, June 2025 saw some improvements in security indicators:
- Reported incidents fell by 48.04% — from 895 in May to 465 in June.
- Fatalities dropped by 14.27% — from 1,296 in May to 1,111 in June.
- Kidnappings decreased by a staggering 74.59% — from 1,086 in May to 276 in June.
However, civilian deaths remained alarmingly high. In June alone, civilians accounted for 72.37% (804) of all deaths. The North West recorded 72.1% of all abductions nationwide during the month.
Comparing quarterly figures, Q2 2025 recorded 3,499 fatalities, up from 3,301 in Q1—a 5.66% increase. Abductions, on the other hand, declined by 11.45%, dropping from 2,862 in Q1 to 2,540 in Q2.
BSIL’s outlook remains bleak. The firm warned that the security situation is expected to stay volatile in the short term, particularly in the North Central and North West, where terrorist and bandit groups are becoming more coordinated and lethal. Factors such as communal violence, complex terrain, foreign-backed armed groups, and worsening socio-economic conditions—especially hunger and poverty—are further deepening the crisis.
The report comes amid rising public concern over the continued killings, kidnappings, and destruction being carried out by insurgents, armed herdsmen, and other non-state actors across Nigeria.
