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Nigeria Records More Deaths In May Than Previous Months

The deaths were caused by terrorists, bandits, gunmen, cultists, security agents, among others, according to a tally by Civic Media Lab, a not-for-profit organization based in Lagos.

No fewer than 465 Nigerians were killed in May as the country continues to witness increasing violence across all its regions.  

 

The deaths were caused by terrorists, bandits, gunmen, cultists, security agents, among others, according to a tally by Civic Media Lab, a not-for-profit organization based in Lagos.

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Almost half of the deaths were attributed to Fulani herders who killed no fewer than 167 people in Benue State alone, 30 in Taraba and 16 in Plateau.

 

About a quarter of the deaths was caused by bandits, groups of criminals that have been terrorizing communities in the northwestern and some parts of the north-central regions of the country.

 

The majority of the people killed by bandits were in Niger, Kaduna and Katsina states. The bandits also kidnapped no fewer than 73 persons and injured at least eleven others.

 

Since last year, the number of people either killed or kidnapped by bandits has consistently surpassed other known terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

 

Last month, Boko Haram and ISWAP killed about eight people, according to Civic Media Lab, which tallied the figures from media reports. Those reported deaths happened in Niger State.

 

Communal clashes claimed the lives of at least 26 Nigerians, with almost half of those deaths occurring in Taraba State alone.

 

Cultists and hoodlums also killed about 25 people, mainly in Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states.

 

No fewer than 72 deaths were attributed to gunmen and kidnappers, with most deaths occurring in Anambra and Rivers states.

 

About 147 people were reportedly kidnapped last month.