The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expresses grave concern over the alarming findings contained in the latest Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database released by Nextier, which revealed that no fewer than 842 Nigerians were killed, 279 kidnapped and 156 violent attacks recorded across the country in May 2026 alone.
These shocking figures, representing a 90.1 per cent increase in fatalities, a 51.5 per cent rise in violent attacks and a 19.7 per cent increase in kidnappings compared to the corresponding period in 2025, confirm that Nigeria is facing one of the most dangerous security crises in its modern history.
HURIWA notes that behind every statistic is a human tragedy: breadwinners murdered, children orphaned, women widowed, communities displaced, businesses destroyed and dreams permanently shattered. However, beyond the heartbreaking human toll, the worsening insecurity is rapidly becoming the single greatest threat to Nigeria’s economic stability, national cohesion, democratic development and international reputation.
The association is deeply worried that the country is steadily losing its attractiveness as a destination for investment, tourism, commerce, education and industrial growth due to the widespread perception that lives and property are no longer adequately protected.
Today, investors across the world carefully assess security risks before committing resources to any economy. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s rising profile as a hotspot for terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal violence, armed robbery and other sophisticated crimes is discouraging both local and foreign direct investments. Businesses are either scaling down operations, relocating to safer environments or abandoning expansion plans altogether.
The consequences are evident in rising unemployment, declining productivity, reduced industrial output, capital flight and worsening poverty levels. Every factory that refuses to open, every investor who decides against investing, and every entrepreneur forced to shut down operations because of insecurity translates into lost jobs and diminished economic opportunities for millions of Nigerians.
HURIWA further observes that insecurity has dealt a devastating blow to Nigeria’s tourism industry. The nation possesses immense tourism potential, ranging from cultural festivals, historical monuments and wildlife reserves to hospitality centres and natural attractions capable of generating substantial revenues and employment opportunities.
However, increasing incidents of violent crimes, kidnappings and attacks have created widespread fears among domestic and international tourists, leading to declining visitor numbers, reduced hotel occupancy rates, shrinking revenues for airlines and transport operators, and significant losses for businesses operating within the tourism value chain.
Similarly, insecurity is undermining agricultural production, particularly in rural communities where farmers increasingly face attacks from bandits, terrorists and criminal gangs. Vast hectares of farmland have been abandoned, food production has declined, rural economies have been disrupted and food inflation has worsened, thereby deepening hunger and hardship across the country.
The education sector has also suffered immensely. The recurring abduction of students and attacks on educational institutions have created fear among parents and school administrators, disrupting learning and threatening the future of countless young Nigerians.
HURIWA is particularly alarmed that the financial costs of insecurity have become astronomical. Government resources that should ordinarily be invested in healthcare, education, infrastructure, technological innovation, housing and social welfare are increasingly diverted towards emergency security responses. Businesses spend huge sums on private security arrangements, while communities are forced to develop self-help mechanisms for survival.
The association submits that the cumulative economic losses arising from insecurity are largely incalculable. Lost investments, disrupted supply chains, abandoned projects, reduced productivity, declining tax revenues, increased insurance costs, population displacement and capital flight collectively constitute a major assault on Nigeria’s economic future.
HURIWA aligns with the position advanced by security experts Jamilu Musa and Dr. Chukwuma Okoli that peacebuilding efforts should not be evaluated merely by the number of workshops, conferences or sensitisation programmes organised. The true measure of success must be reflected in safer communities, declining violence, strengthened social cohesion, improved public trust and enhanced resilience of vulnerable populations.
The association therefore calls on the Federal Government to immediately adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to tackling insecurity. This must include intelligence-driven policing, improved welfare and equipment for security personnel, enhanced border management, judicial reforms to ensure swift prosecution of violent offenders, community-based security partnerships and robust investments in technology-driven crime prevention mechanisms.
HURIWA also urges state governments, traditional institutions, religious leaders, civil society organisations and community stakeholders to collaborate in addressing the underlying drivers of violence, including poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and weak governance structures.
The disturbing figures for May 2026 should serve as a national emergency warning. A nation cannot achieve sustainable development, attract investments, create jobs, promote tourism, guarantee food security or strengthen democracy while violence continues to claim hundreds of lives monthly.
Nigeria’s security crisis has evolved beyond a law enforcement challenge; it has become a direct threat to national development, economic prosperity and the collective future of over 200 million citizens.
The time for half-measures has passed. What Nigeria urgently requires is decisive leadership, effective security governance and measurable actions capable of restoring peace, protecting lives and rebuilding public confidence in the capacity of the state to fulfil its constitutional responsibility.
Signed
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator, HURIWA
May 22, 2026
