By Awwal Umar Kontagora In a press statement signed by the Niger State Director of the International Human Rights Commission (IH...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
In a press statement signed by the Niger State Director of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC), Shuaib Awaisu Wana, the alarming revelations from the recent Beacon Security Intelligence report—highlighted by the BBC Hausa Service—have laid bare the tragic human toll of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, particularly in Niger State.
Between January and March 2025 alone, over 3,600 Nigerians were killed in violent attacks. Niger State recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 631 lives lost and 251 individuals kidnapped in 178 separate incidents.
These are not mere statistics. They represent the untold stories of men, women, and children whose lives were unjustly cut short—families shattered, communities plunged into mourning and fear. Many of these tragedies go unreported and unacknowledged.
In the face of this horror, silence is complicity, and inaction is betrayal. The resurgence of Boko Haram in the Northeast, the emboldened rise of bandit groups and criminal gangs like the Lakurawa in the Northwest, and the growing political and communal unrest across the country paint the picture of a nation bleeding from the collapse of its security architecture and a glaring lack of political resolve.
It is against this backdrop that the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) issues this urgent and heartfelt appeal to both the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Government of Niger State:
You must rise to your constitutional and moral responsibility to protect human life. The security and welfare of the people remain the primary obligation of every government. The ongoing cycle of killings, abductions, and displacement—especially in Niger State—is unacceptable and indefensible.
We call for the following immediate actions:
1. Deployment of additional security personnel and intelligence assets to vulnerable communities.
2. Establishment of Rapid Response Units in rural areas, particularly in high-risk LGAs such as Munya, Rafi, Shiroro, and Mariga.
3. Implementation of community-based early warning systems and the strengthening of local intelligence networks.
4. Development of socio-economic programs aimed at addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, unemployment, and youth radicalization.
5. Improved coordination and collaboration among federal, state, and local security agencies, anchored by political unity and transparent leadership.
The blood of innocent Nigerians must not continue to stain our land while authorities delay or debate. The people are watching. The world is watching. History will judge.
Let the tears of widows, the cries of orphans, and the shattered hopes of the displaced ignite within our leaders the urgency to act—firmly, swiftly, and decisively.
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