A coalition of civil society organisations has revealed that at least 19,980 people have lost their lives, while no fewer than 12,362 others have been kidnapped across Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The coalition made this known in a joint statement released on Thursday to mark the 9th National Day of Mourning themed: “Nigerian Lives Matter.” The statement, endorsed by 52 organisations, referenced figures compiled by massattrocities.org, which also showed that about 1,486 security personnel have died while on active duty within the same period.
Among the organisations involved are Global Rights, BudgIT, Centre for Social Justice, Centre for Transparency Advocacy, Centre LSD, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), Clean Technology Hub, and CLEEN Foundation, among others.
The report further stated that at least 865 students have been kidnapped from schools nationwide since 2023, with thousands of children either displaced or unable to return to classrooms, thereby worsening the country’s out-of-school children crisis.
The coalition also raised concerns over alleged extrajudicial killings and civilian deaths during security operations, including recurring accidental airstrikes on civilian settlements.
According to the groups, the figures — excluding victims of crimes such as armed robbery — underscore the gravity of insecurity in a nation “that insists it is not at war.”
They lamented that Nigerians across different regions continue to face insurgency, terrorism, kidnappings, and unlawful killings, while perpetrators reportedly operate “with boldness and impunity.”
The coalition argued that the continued violence reflects wider governance failures and diminishing regard for human life in the country.
“Communities are repeatedly attacked despite prior warnings and visible patterns of violence. Survivors are often left without justice, rehabilitation, compensation, or even acknowledgement from the state,” the statement read.
The organisations also warned that insecurity is contributing to rising food inflation as many farmers can no longer safely access their farmlands. They added that schools are increasingly functioning under the constant threat of attacks and abductions.
The coalition criticised what it described as a contradiction between the government’s surveillance capabilities and its inability to dismantle kidnapping and ransom syndicates operating nationwide.
The groups further accused political leaders of prioritising calculations ahead of the 2027 elections instead of tackling insecurity. “We remind them that corpses do not vote and that the erasure of communities means those wards cannot record verifiable votes,” the statement added.
The statement explained that the National Day of Mourning was initiated by citizens to honour victims of mass atrocities and violent killings, while also demanding accountability from authorities constitutionally mandated to protect lives and property.
The coalition urged the Federal Government to urgently fulfil its constitutional duty by safeguarding lives and property, prosecuting perpetrators of violent crimes, improving intelligence gathering and rapid response systems, dismantling kidnapping and ransom networks, and providing humanitarian assistance to victims and displaced persons.
It also called for stronger protection for schools, farming communities, women, children, and other vulnerable groups disproportionately affected by insecurity.
The organisations reaffirmed their resolve to continue amplifying the voices of victims and demanding accountability from public officials.
“Nigeria cannot continue to gather annually to mourn the dead while failing daily to protect the living. We refuse to become desensitised to preventable killings. Nigerian lives matter,” the statement added.
