279 kidnapped, 842 killed in Nigeria as may violence surges — Report

A new report says that at least 279 people were kidnapped across Nigeria in May 2026. The report also recorded 156 violent incidents, which led to 842 deaths during the same month.

The data came from the Nextier Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database. It shows that insecurity is getting worse in the country. Compared to May 2025, violent incidents increased by 51.5%, deaths rose by 90.1%, and kidnappings increased by 19.7%.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives of Nigeria Minority Caucus also raised concerns about the situation. They said the government is not fully implementing the national budget, especially in security areas. According to them, spending on defence and security agencies is still below 30%, which is affecting military operations and the fight against banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping.

The caucus plans to formally discuss the issue when the National Assembly resumes. They want the government to explain why approved budgets have not been fully used since 2024.

Security experts are also calling for urgent action. The President of the Nigeria Society for Criminology, Professor Oludayo Tade, urged President Bola Tinubu to do more to protect lives and property. He said the government must show stronger political will, improve security operations, and ensure that those behind kidnappings and terrorism are punished.

Researchers Jamilu Musa and Chukwuma Okoli also warned that peacebuilding efforts in Nigeria are difficult to measure properly. They said many programmes are carried out, but it is not always clear if they are actually making communities safer.

They added that with reduced international funding for peace efforts, it is now more important to measure results properly not just activities.