The report which was titled ‘Mass Atrocities 2020 Tracking’ disclosed that the fatalities gathered between January and December.
A total of 4,556 people were killed in Nigeria in 2020, according to a recent report issued by the Nigeria-based organisation, Global Rights.
The report which was titled ‘Mass Atrocities 2020 Tracking’ disclosed that the fatalities gathered between January and December.
It also revealed that the statistics escalated the loss percentage to 43% from the number of casualties in 2019, as 3,188 were civilians, and 698 were state security agents.
According to the report shared with the SaharaReports by a human rights activist, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Borno state in the North-East had the highest number of fatalities followed by Kaduna state in the North-West.
“The year 2020 was a brutal year for most, as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted nations and systems across the world. COVID-19 heralded the largest and most fatal global health crisis in recent times, with incredible infection rates, and an unprecedented loss of lives in almost every nation.
“Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, continued its own trajectory of grief and loss, contending not only with the global health pandemic, but also with its endemic insecurity that has spiralled exponentially in the past decade.
“Our tracking of mass atrocities across Nigeria for 2020, (indicated through casualties of violent attacks, clashes, terrorism, kidnappings, and extrajudicial killings) informs that at least four thousand, five hundred and fifty-six (4,556) lives were lost between January and December 2020.
“A glaring spike of almost 43% in the number of casualties in comparison to the 2019 figure of three thousand, one hundred and eighty-eight (3,188). Of the above number, three thousand, eight hundred and fifty-eight (3,858) were civilians, while 698 were state security agents. For the second year running, for every 5.5 deaths recorded, at least 1 of them was of a security officer.
“The state with the highest number of fatalities remained Borno state in the North-East, closely followed by Kaduna state, in the North-West.
“Interestingly, the state with the lowest number of fatalities was also in the North – Gombe state with one (1) victim. The Southern parts of the country fared better – at least numerically. The southern states also contended with their own security challenges which led to the establishment of the controversial Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) – codenamed Operation Amotekun,” the report stated.