World News
Nigeria faces expanding kidnapping crisis and rising violence from armed gangs
Armed groups targeting rural villages, travelers, and schools have driven widespread displacement and strained national security resources.
The short version
- Kidnapping incidents and violence by armed gangs locally known as bandits have sharply increased across Nigeria, displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
- Data shows kidnappings doubled nationwide in the first half of the year, while incidents in north-western bandit heartlands rose 78% compared to the prior year.
- The Nigerian government has raised its defense budget and approved 28,000 new army recruits, while communities increasingly rely on government-backed vigilante groups.
Key facts
- According to the UN, approximately 800,000 people have been displaced in north-western Nigeria, primarily due to rising violence.[BBC News]
- Data from Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission shows nationwide kidnappings doubled during the first half of the year.[BBC News]
- Conflict monitoring group Acled recorded a 78% increase in incidents in north-west Nigeria's bandit heartlands during the first half of the year compared to the same period in the previous year.[BBC News]
- President Bola Tinubu's administration raised the national defense and security budget by 10% in December 2025 and authorized the recruitment of 28,000 new soldiers.[BBC News]
- In May, gunmen attacked three schools in Oyo state, abducting 39 children and seven teachers; all remaining hostages were released after 56 days following a security force operation.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Analysts and experts debate whether arming local vigilante groups will effectively improve long-term security or increase regional violence and create disarmament challenges after the crisis.[BBC News]