How gunmen seized 282 rifles from police, security agencies

A new report has revealed how terrorists, bandits and other armed groups stole 282 rifles from Nigerian security agents between 2021 and mid-2026.

The report, released by SBM Intel Violence Tracker and titled Nigeria’s Stolen Rifles: Who Loses, Who Takes, said the rifles were stolen in 94 separate incidents across the country.

According to the report, the Nigeria Police Force suffered the heaviest loss, with 201 rifles stolen from its personnel.

The figure represents 71.3 per cent of all rifles lost by security agencies during the period under review.

The military lost 45 rifles, representing 16 per cent, while unspecified security agencies lost 15 rifles, or 5.3 per cent.

Other security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Customs Service, lost 12 rifles, while vigilantes lost nine.

The report identified “unknown gunmen” as the biggest perpetrators of the thefts, accounting for 168 stolen rifles, or 59.6 per cent of the total.

Bandits were linked to 58 stolen rifles, representing 20.6 per cent, while the Islamic State West Africa Province accounted for 41 rifles, or 14.5 per cent.

The Indigenous People of Biafra was linked to the theft of nine rifles, kidnappers stole four, while Boko Haram accounted for two.

Delta State recorded the highest number of stolen rifles with 67, followed by Abia with 51, Borno with 40, Zamfara with 20 and Katsina with 11.

According to the report, Delta and Abia alone accounted for 42 per cent of all stolen rifles recorded in the country within the period.

SBM Intel also warned that the pace of rifle theft accelerated in 2026, raising fresh concerns over the safety of weapons in the custody of security operatives.

Despite the thefts, the report said security agencies recovered 1,442 rifles during the same period.

It, however, noted that the high number of recovered weapons showed that Nigeria’s illegal arms problem goes far beyond rifles stolen from security personnel.

“Between 2021 and mid-2026, armed groups stole 282 rifles from Nigerian security forces across 94 incidents. Police lost 71% of these. Delta and Abia accounted for 42% of thefts, with the pace accelerating in 2026. Yet the recoveries (1,442) dwarf thefts; this is a sign that Nigeria’s illegal weapons problem goes far beyond stolen service rifles,” the report stated.

The findings come amid growing concern over the spread of illegal weapons across the country and repeated attacks on police stations, military formations, checkpoints and other security targets by armed groups.