Despite Increased Budget on Security, Data from NHRC Shows Alarming Rate of Killings and Kidnappings

Despite an increase in the national budget allocated to security, recent data from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reveals a significant rise in violence perpetrated by non-state actors, with 1,463 people killed and 1,172 Nigerians kidnapped between January and September 2024.

The statistics were presented on Wednesday at a workshop organised by the NHRC in Abuja in collaboration with the European Union (EU), drawing attention to an alarming trend of human rights abuses nationwide.

The NHRC report highlighted May as the deadliest month this year, with 298 recorded fatalities, while March saw the highest number of abductions, with 499 kidnappings.

These incidents underline what NHRC officials described as deteriorating security, placing civilians and law enforcement officers at increased risk.

NHRC Senior Human Rights Adviser, Hillary Ogbonna, provided additional insight into the scope of human rights abuses.

“By January 2024, we already had 150 kidnappings and 55 killings associated mainly with non-state actors,” Ogbonna noted, adding that attacks on law enforcement have become more frequent, with seven police officers killed in January alone.

He emphasised Nigerian citizens’ challenges in securing their human rights in an increasingly dangerous environment.

“We started with seven policemen killed in January. From victims’ perspectives, we had quite a number of victims for human rights violations for January.

The commission attributed the rise in kidnappings, killings and child abandonment to the negligence of the state actors to protect its citizens.

“In recent years, we have witnessed alarming trends and threats against those who dare to speak the truth to power.”

NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, remarked, “In recent years, we have witnessed alarming trends and threats against those who dare to speak the truth to power.”

Ojukwu further stressed that safeguarding human rights in Nigeria is an ongoing battle requiring all of society’s vigilance, action, and cooperation.

The data highlighted the ongoing struggle in Nigeria to contain violence and uphold human rights amid rising insecurity. It casts a stark spotlight on the inadequacies of current efforts despite increased government spending on security.

In multiple instances, stakeholders and opposition leaders like Peter Obi of the Labour Party have raised the alarm over the increasing rate of killings and kidnapping, urging a reevaluation of the security approach and a focus on addressing the root causes of insecurity.

In a statement posted on X, Obi highlighted the failure of President Bola Tinubu’s security plan, citing the record-breaking 3,600 documented kidnappings in 2023.

He criticised the government’s emphasis on acquiring high-tech military equipment instead of addressing the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, poor education, and public resentment towards army atrocities.

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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