In the past two years, Nigeria has witnessed a distressing escalation of violence in various parts of the country, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 965 soldiers and policemen who valiantly served on the frontlines. Non-state actors such as Boko Haram, bandits, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and other groups have been identified as the perpetrators of these acts of violence.
The incidents of violence targeting law enforcement and military personnel were between January 2021 and April 2023. The findings revealed a significant toll on Nigeria’s security officials by these non-state actors.
Based on exclusive data compiled from newspaper reports, it was determined that within the aforementioned period, 581 policemen and 384 military personnel lost their lives while carrying out their duties.
Retired senior officers, acknowledging the unfortunate nature of these incidents, expressed their belief that the morale of the security forces, spread throughout the country to uphold law and order, would remain unaffected.
Efforts to obtain official records from the Nigerian Army and police headquarters proved futile as the army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, failed to respond to calls and text messages.
Nevertheless, available records indicate that the NPF has an approximate strength of 371,800 officers across the country, resulting in a ratio of one police officer to 540 citizens. This falls short of the United Nations’ recommended ratio of one police officer to 450 individuals.
Regarding the military, data from the World Bank’s database in 2019 indicated that Nigeria had a military strength of 223,000 personnel. Despite suffering a significant loss of at least 384 individuals, this figure was corroborated in February 2023 by Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, during the 25th edition of President Muhammadu Buhari’s scorecard series, which showcased the administration’s achievements.
A detailed analysis of the data compiled by Daily Trust Saturday reveals that out of the 384 military personnel killed, 192 lost their lives at the hands of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, 68 were killed by gunmen and the IPOB, 62 fell victim to bandits, and 62 lost their lives due to other criminal groups and circumstances.
Newspaper reports further indicate that among the 581 police officers killed, 344 were targeted by gunmen and the IPOB, 119 were slain by bandits and kidnappers, while 53 fell victim to armed robbers and other criminal groups. The data also reveals that 32 police officers died in accidents, 18 were killed by their colleagues and other security personnel, and 15 were victims of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP).
Media reports collated by Daily Trust Saturday highlight that the Nigerian military suffered heavier casualties in the northern regions, particularly the North East and North West, where the activities of Boko Haram and bandits are more prevalent. Conversely, the police experienced more significant losses in the southern part of the country, particularly in the South East and South-South regions, where IPOB and gunmen (a term loosely used to describe suspected members of the Eastern Security Network, an armed group affiliated with IPOB) are more active.
Among the police officers killed, 200 lost their lives in the South East, 110 in the North West, 106 in the South-South, 85 in the North Central, 43 in the South West, and 37 in the North East.
The five states with the highest police fatalities include Anambra, where 63 officers perished, followed by Imo with 52 casualties, Niger State with 42 losses, Delta State with 37 fatalities
