NOT less than 616 persons were killed across states in Nigeria in November, a report by Nigeria Security Tracker (NST), has shown.
NST, which relied on data from newspapers reports during the month shows that the killings were carried out by state actors such as military operations against terrorists and bandits in the northern part of the country and operatives of the Nigerian police force (NPF).
Others are targeted and random abductions, extrajudicial killings; and, the continued spate of banditry and terrorism by suspected members of Boko Haram, its faction and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Borno state which has been the epicentre of Boko-Haram insurgency in the country was responsible for the highest number of deaths with 271 persons followed by Katsina which had 104 deaths. They were trailed by Kaduna and Zamfara with 69 and 42 deaths respectively.
Others are Adamawa – 2; Akwa Ibom – 3; Anambra – 2; Bayelsa – 1; Benue – 4; Cross River – 2; Delta – 22; Ebonyi – 7; Edo – 18; Ekiti – 6; FCT – 1; Imo – 3; Kano – 4; Kebbi – 1; Kwara – 1; Lagos – 7; Nassarawa – 2; Niger – 10; Ogun – 2; Ondo – 6; Oyo – 6; Plateau – 3; Rivers – 5; Sokoto – 1; Taraba – 6; Yobe – 5.
Similarly, a report by NigeriaMourns, a non-governmental organization tracking insecurity across the country shows declining figures after it had excluded killings by state actors.
The report shows that not less than 349 persons were killed in violent attacks across 23 states in Nigeria during the month of November, 2020.
It also revealed that about 290 persons were also abducted.
While 309 out of the killings were civilians, 40 were security operatives.
According to the report, 149 Boko-Haram and its faction, the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP); 86 were killed by bandits while cult clashes claimed 62 lives.
Also, 40 people died in isolated attacks, 7 died through extrajudicial killings, 2 were killed by herdsmen while 2 died in communal conflicts.
According to NigeriaMournsm, Borno and Edo as states have the highest numbers of deaths with 162 and 57 respectively.
These reports are coming following continuous claims by the presidency that security has improved under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity wants Nigeria to be grateful to the president because Boko-Haram’s bombing has reduced as compared to what it was before 2015.
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