PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, aged 82.
His spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the former leader died at a London hospital.
The ICIR highlights insecurity challenges that Nigeria faced during the former president’s tenure, 2015 – 2023. Tackling insecurity was one of his three major promises under the ‘change’ mantra in 2015.
Buhari’s eight-year struggle with insecurity
When he assumed office as President of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, Buhari promised that his administration would concentrate on the economy, fight corruption, and tackle security. As of May 2023, when his tenure wound down, despite claims of progress on security by his government, data shows that 31,821 people were killed by non-state actors during his tenure, contradicting the government’s claim of containment of security threats.
The data from the Council on Foreign Relations’ Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), checked by The ICIR, showed that non-state actors killed 31,821 people between May 2015 and April 2023.
The NST website tracks violent incidents related to political, economic, and social grievances directed at the state or other affiliated groups.
Under Buhari, according to NST data, Nigeria’s fatalities peaked in 2021 with 10,575 deaths, while the lowest was in 2017 with 4,618 deaths.
Major insecurity issues during his administration had their roots in violence by Boko Haram, ethnic militia, farmers-herdsmen clashes, bandit attacks, and activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
Major killings under Buhari During Buhari’s first year in office, at least 55 people were killed in two Boko Haram raids near Maiduguri, the state capital.
In the same year, 21 people were also killed in Takum.
In Benue State, on February 29, 2016, there was Agatu Massacre, leading to the displacement of thousands. In 2017, an attack by cultists led to the death of at least 10 persons in Akure.
Similarly, five persons were killed by armed robbers during a bank robbery in Ogbagi Akoko in the state that year.
Again, over 70 people were killed by gunmen in Benue in January 2018 while in July 2018, the Nigerian Army suffered heavy casualties as Boko Haram killed 62 personnel in an attack on a military base in the Geidam Local Government Area. Elsewhere in Kaduna State herdsmen on a rampage killed 21 people in Anguwan Aku, Kajuru, in April 2019.
In Katsina, the home state of the former leader, at least 36 people were killed by bandits in Kankara in April 2019.
Also April, bandits killed 47 people in Safana, Dutsinma and Danmusa Local Government Areas of the state. On July 29, near Baga, Boko Haram militants attacked the convoy of Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum.
In Ebonyi State 14 people were reportedly killed in 2021 when gunmen attacked Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
In Anambra State, February 26, 2022, witnessed the tragedy of about 20 people who were killed at a burial ceremony in Ebenebe, Akwa North Local Government Area.
In Niger State, the security situation worsened in 2022. The former Governor, Abubakar Bello, disclosed that terrorists wreaked havoc and killed over 300 people in two weeks.
In 2022, records showed that Ogun State had the highest number of deaths from violence in five months in the South-West region of the country.
A total of 165 deaths were recorded from 122 incidents of violence that occurred in the region between January and May 2022.
Again, inApril 2023, the Kaduna State government disclosed that bandits killed 1,266 persons in 15 months in the state.
Also, 746 persons were kidnapped in the state between January and March 2023.
In May 2023, in the Bwoi District of Mangu Local Government Area, gunmen killed around 30 people.
Attacks on worship centres
There were also attacks on some worship centres during Buhari’s eight-year rule.
For instance, over 289 people were killed in worship centres within 18 months during his tenure.
An attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022, shook the country to its foundations and caused outrage. No fewer than 40 worshipers died in the attack.
During Buhari’s administration as elected president, there were attacks on security personnel, including when gunmen ambushed and attacked an Army patrol van in Aba, Abia State, burning the vehicle and causing several casualties. 138 police officers were also killed in eight months, highlighting the risks and challenges faced by law enforcement under his watch.
Attempts to impeach Buhari over insecurity
Following his failure to contain the activities of non-state actors unleashing mayhem on citizens, some federal lawmakers attempted to impeach Buhari in July 2022.
The lawmakers were mainly those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They staged a walkout after a move to commence impeachment proceedings against him was blocked by the former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.
‘Missed opportunity’
Speaking with The ICIR in 2023 on insecurity in Nigeria under Buhari’s watch, a security analyst with the SBM Intelligence, Emeka Okoro, said the former leader missed the opportunity to fix Nigeria’s security crisis.
Okoro said that despite the increased budget on insecurity, the situation only got worse.
“And despite rising budgetary commitments to the security sector since his first term in office, the reality on the ground paints the picture of a battle that has been lost,” Okoro said.
A reporter with the ICIR
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