At least 1,111 Nigerians were killed and 276 others abducted by gunmen in June 2025, according to a new report by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited.
While the report shows a reduction in overall attacks, civilian casualties remain high and troubling.
The data revealed a 14.27% drop in killings, down from 1,296 in May.
Security incidents also decreased significantly by 48.04%, from 895 recorded in May to 465 in June.
The number of abductions plummeted by 74.59%, falling from 1,086 in May to 276 in June.
However, the reduction in figures didn’t reflect in peace of mind for Nigerians. Civilian deaths made up 72.37% of the fatalities in June.
According to the report, attacks on farming villages, raids by armed gangs, and clashes between herders and farmers were major causes of bloodshed.
The North-West suffered the highest number of abductions, accounting for 72.10% of the total in June. The North-Central region recorded many of the killings, especially due to farmer-herder conflicts.
When assessed quarterly, the second quarter (Q2) of 2025 saw a slight 1.95% drop in incidents, from 2,359 in Q1 to 2,313. But fatalities rose by 5.66%, with 3,499 killed in Q2 compared to 3,301 in Q1.
The North-Central, North-West, and North-East all saw increases in deaths, with the North-Central experiencing a sharp 34.97% spike.
Abductions declined in Q2, with 2,540 cases reported an 11.45% drop from 2,862 in Q1. Zamfara State was worst hit, recording 1,088 deaths and 1,755 abductions between January and June 2025.
In total, Nigeria recorded 4,672 security breaches in the first half of 2025.
Compared to the second half of 2024, there was a 1.08% drop. But compared to the first half of 2024, incidents rose by 9.21%.
Fatalities in H1 2025 reached a staggering 6,800. This marks a 13.67% increase from H2 2024 and a 19.11% jump from H1 2024. Abductions also saw a year-on-year rise of over 30%.
The report concluded that Nigeria’s North-West and North-East regions remain plagued by insurgents and armed bandits.
The North-Central is now seeing worsening attacks in states like Niger, Benue, Plateau, and Kwara.
The data paints a grim picture of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis and growing threats from non-state armed groups.