By Lawrence Zongo
More than 90 Nigerian civil society organizations on Thursday accused the federal government of failing to stop escalating violence across the country, saying nearly 20,000 people have been killed since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office in May 2023.
In a joint statement released to mark Nigeria’s 9th National Day of Mourning, the groups said at least 19,980 people were killed and 12,362 abducted in mass atrocities and violent attacks nationwide, citing data from massatrocities.org.
The coalition said at least 1,486 security personnel were also killed while on active duty during the same period.
“Nigerian lives matter,” the organizations declared in the statement, which condemned what they described as the government’s inability to contain insecurity, protect civilians, and prosecute perpetrators.
The National Day of Mourning is a citizen-led initiative held annually to remember victims of mass killings and violent attacks across Nigeria.
The statement cited attacks linked to insurgency, terrorism, kidnappings, communal violence, and armed groups operating in different parts of the country. It also raised concerns over extrajudicial killings and civilian deaths during military operations, including incidents involving airstrikes on civilian communities.
The organizations said violence has disrupted farming activities, worsened food insecurity, and forced children out of school. According to the coalition, at least 865 students have been abducted from schools across Nigeria since 2023.
The statement said thousands of children remain displaced or unable to attend school amid continuing insecurity.
The groups also questioned why kidnapping and ransom networks continue operating despite government surveillance and intelligence capabilities.
“We read them that corpses do not vote and that the erasure of communities means that those wards cannot record veritable votes,” the statement said, criticizing political leaders for focusing on preparations for the 2027 elections while insecurity persists.
The coalition called on the federal government to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of violent crimes, strengthen intelligence gathering, improve rapid response systems, and increase protection for schools, farming communities, women, and children.
The organizations also demanded humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation, and compensation for displaced persons and survivors of attacks.
Among the groups that signed the statement were Amnesty International Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project, Yiaga Africa, BudgIT, CLEEN Foundation, Global Rights, and The Kukah Centre.
The coalition said Nigerians “are not just tired of the unending massacres but also of our political class, who continue to fail us and treat us like our lives don’t matter.”
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