IN DETAIL: 149 killed, 280 kidnapped in violent attacks across Nigeria in September

For the month of September, figures gathered from reported violent attacks showed that a total of 149 persons were killed in Nigeria. 

The figures, sourced from the reports of major news platforms and Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), were collated by TheCable Index, the data and research arm of TheCable.

Out of the 149 killed, 122 were armless civilians, 15 police officers, 9 soldiers, a customs officer, a security guard and an officer of the Nigerian Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). 

Further checks on the data revealed that 6 of the 15 police officers were murdered in Anambra, a south-eastern state with records of attacks on security operatives and their facilities. The data also includes a divisional crime officer (DCO) in Oyo and a police inspector killed by bandits in Katsina. 

Out of the total recorded killings for the month in focus, the north-central zone tops the chart with 56 fatalities, north-west, 40; south-east; 25, south-south, 15; south-west, 7; and north-east 6. 

By implication, compared to the figures in August, there is a rise in the recorded killings from the north-central and north-west zones where only 30 and 6 fatalities were respectively recorded. 

On a state-by-state basis of the total killings, Benue topped the list with 30 fatalities; Zamfara, 24; Anambra, 16; Kaduna, 11; Kogi, 10; Rivers, 9; while Borno, Enugu and Niger had 5 each. 

Abuja, Delta, Ebonyi, Katsina, Nassarawa, Ogun, and Oyo had three each, while Bayelsa, Kano, and Plateau recorded two respectively. 

Bauchi, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kwara, Lagos and Ondo states recorded just one fatality each. 

This means on average, a total of five persons were killed on a daily basis in September. 

65% OF ABDUCTIONS IN NORTH-WEST FROM KADUNA

For the month under review, a total of 280 persons were kidnapped across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The north-west is top on the list with 143 abductees, 36 in the south-west; 34 in the north-central; 19 in the south-south and 4 in the south-east.

TheCable analysis showed that out of the 187 abducted in the north-west zone, 122 (representing 65.2%) of them were from Kaduna state. This showed a continuous rise in abductions in Kaduna when compared to August when the total number of abductions — 53 persons — in the zone were from Kaduna state.

Aside from Kaduna, Zamfara — another north-western state — had 52 persons abducted, while Katsina had 13.

For other states: Ondo, 32; Niger, 25; Rivers, 17; Plateau, 5; Imo, 4; Benue and Ekiti, 3 each; while Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kogi and Ogun had one each.