TIMELINE: Over 80 people killed, 60 kidnapped — how terror swept through Nigeria in one week

Over 80 persons were killed and at least 60 others kidnapped in just one week in Nigeria. The Nigerian media space has been flooded with reports of killings, kidnappings and attacks from town to town, and across every region of the country — not even security personnel are spared.

The security threats in the country have heightened in recent times — with a number of daily attacks and deaths witnessed this week.

Zamfara, Kaduna, Oyo and Ekiti states are the most affected.

Below is a timeline of the incidents:

April 19: Over 20 persons killed in a clash between Fulani traders and a vigilante group in Zamfara. According to witnesses, the killings were a reprisal attack for the death of three people at Ruwan Tofa and the rustling of cattle.

April 20: Six people were killed in a clash between rival cult groups in Ikere, Ekiti state.

April 20: An unknown number of students were kidnapped from Greenfield University, Kaduna. A security guard was also shot in the attack.

Although there is no official confirmation yet, about 40 students are said to be missing from the private university.

The incident was the third attack on a school in the state in 2021.

April 21: An Amotekun operative identified as Suleiman Quadri was killed by gunmen following an attack on a community in Fiditi, Oyo state.

April 22: Gunmen kidnapped 18 passengers travelling on Eruwa/Igbo-Ora road, Ibarapa area of Oyo state.

April 22: Two nurses were kidnapped from Idon Hospital in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state after an attack by gunmen.

The armed men were said to have gained access to the hospital through the fence, opened fire before abducting the nurses who worked the night shift.

April 22: At least 30 people were killed after bandits attacked a number of Zamfara communities.

The gunmen were said to have carried out simultaneous attacks on Gobirawa, Rini, Gora, and Madoti Dankule in Bakura and Maradun LGAs.

The death toll in the attack has reportedly risen to 6o.

The state government ordered the closure of four markets and banned the sale of fuel in jerrycans in reaction to the attacks in the state.

April 23: Three of the kidnapped Greenfield students were killed.

“The remains of three students were found today (Friday), in Kwanan Bature village, a location close to the university and have been evacuated to a mortuary,” Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said.

April 24: Nine persons were found dead with machete cuts on Saturday, following an attack by hoodlums on Ajimaka village in Doma LGA of Nasarawa state. Ramhan Nansel, Nasarawa police spokesman, said the command received reports of the attack in the early hours of Saturday.

President Muhammadu Buhari warned bandits to quit pushing their luck because his government has the capacity to crush them.

“These criminals should stop pushing their luck too far by believing that the government lacks the capacity to crush them,” the president was quoted to have said in a statement by Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, on Thursday.