The National Human Rights Commission has documented no fewer than 3,012 incidents of kidnapping and 3,584 killings in Nigeria between January 2024 and April 2025.

According to the NHRC dashboard, Kaduna, Benue, Katsina, Plateau, and Borno states were the top five states with the highest number of killings between January and June 2024.

In June 2024, mob action and jungle justice became issues of focus for the commission which recorded cases that included a mob killing over blasphemy in Bauchi, a killing over infidelity in Ondo, and the stabbing of a wife’s lover in Ogun.

The NHRC also reported a rise in extrajudicial killings, citing incidents such as police killings in Yauri, Kebbi State, and military killings in Ilorin, Abuja (FCT), and Jos.

Furthermore, the commission documented four bandit or terrorist attacks across Katsina State, which resulted in 87 killings and 56 abductions.

Between July and August 2024, the NHRC highlighted freedom of association, peaceful assembly, flooding, and displacement as key issues. During this period, killings of protesters, indiscriminate arrests, prolonged detention, and the state’s capacity to protect lives and property were identified as areas of concern.

In September 2024, a total of 141 killings and 191 deaths from road accidents were recorded. Notable incidents included the killing of three individuals accused of witchcraft in Adamawa, the torture of a 12-year-old in Akwa Ibom, and the stabbing of a woman in Kano.

In Lagos, a man was killed for stealing wire, while in Ondo, another was killed over debt. Communal violence claimed three lives in Anambra. Meanwhile, eight cult-related killings were reported in Imo, and attacks in Southern Kaduna led to over 80 deaths. An alleged motorcycle thief was burned alive in Abuja (FCT).

In October 2024, killings in Anambra, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara were highlighted. Mass abductions and killings were recorded in Zamfara, while 20 cult-related killings occurred in Anambra. A new terror group, Lakawura, emerged in Sokoto, and an oil tanker explosion claimed 167 lives in Jigawa.

The trend of mass abductions continued in November 2024, with 69 people killed in five separate attacks in Benue State. Lakawura embarked on mass killings and executions in Kebbi State. Extrajudicial killings by the Nigerian Army and police were reported in Kwara, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Anambra, alongside cult-related killings in nine states.

A boat accident in the Dambo-Ebuchi section of the River Niger claimed the lives of 200 women, while another boat accident that led to the death of 22 people was reported in Niger State.

In December 2024, Zamfara recorded the abduction of 71 people and the killing of 13. Two policemen were killed by gunmen in Anambra, 32 individuals were killed in bandit attacks in Plateau, and an airstrike on civilians by the Nigerian Armed Forces occurred in Sokoto.

Stampedes during palliative distributions in Oyo, Anambra, and Abuja (FCT) resulted in over 70 deaths.

The NHRC also recorded 81 deaths from motor and boat accidents. Among these were 26 fatalities in a boat accident on the River Benue and 55 deaths from road accidents. A police officer in Delta killed a teenage boy over fireworks, while a 35-year-old man was tortured to death in Kwara.

The military bombed civilians in Sokoto State, and a soldier fatally stabbed a tricycle operator in Jos.

From January to March 2025, the NHRC reported mass casualties from tanker explosions, abductions, and killings across the North-West and North-Central regions, the resurgence of Boko Haram in Borno and Yobe States, and heightened terror activity by the Lakawura sect.

The PUNCH reports that in March 2025 alone, 570 killings and 278 abductions were recorded—an increase of 160% and 240%, respectively.

The NHRC, in partnership with the UNDP, OHCHR, and GANHRI, continues to produce monthly dashboards documenting human rights violations in Nigeria. These dashboards incorporate data from NHRC’s 38 offices and its Human Rights Observatory.