Nigeria recorded 106 violent conflict incidents resulting in 445 casualties and 256 kidnapping victims between July 26 and August 8, 2026, according to a latest security report by Nextier. The report identified banditry as the dominant security threat during the two-week period, accounting for 35 incidents, 246 casualties and 196 kidnapping victims.
Banditry represented 33 per cent of the total violent incidents nationwide but accounted for a disproportionate 55 per cent of all casualties and 77 per cent of kidnapping victims. The North-West bore the highest human cost, recording 38 per cent of incidents, 61 per cent of casualties and 83 per cent of kidnapping victims. The report attributed this concentration to banditry operations in Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states, noting that kidnapping-for-ransom remains the primary driver of abductions in the region.
In contrast, the North-East recorded a distinct security pattern where terrorism accounted for all incidents during the period, driven by longstanding insurgent activity. The North-Central presented a more diverse threat landscape, with banditry, gunmen attacks and kidnapping constituting 30, 23 and 20 per cent of incidents respectively. Plateau State recorded the highest number of incidents nationwide.
The findings come amid broader concerns over the adaptation of armed criminal groups. SBM Intelligence previously documented at least 4,722 abductions across 997 incidents between July 2024 and June 2025, with 762 fatalities and an estimated N2.57 billion paid in ransoms. In response to the escalating crisis, the Federal Government designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists in December 2025 and expanded police recruitment from 30,000 to 50,000 personnel.
The security situation remains volatile. On May 15, 2026, armed men attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting several students and teachers, underscoring the persistent threat to civilian populations.
