Nigeria Violent Conflict Monthly Bulletin May 2024 Edition

Four months into 2024, the activities of non-state actors have continued to ravage different parts of the country unabated. In the review period, there has been 94 recorded incidents across 25 states in Nigeria, leaving over 130 women and men as victims.

In this edition of the bulletin, Zamfara State is the most troubled state, recording 12 banditry incidents that led to 69 casualties (64 deaths and five injured victims) and seven kidnap victims.

The North West region is the most troubled of the country's six regions, recording 27 incidents that resulted in 166 casualties (153 deaths and 13 injured victims) and 41 kidnap victims. Gunmen violence is the prevalent conflict type, with 34 incidents, 69 casualties (66 deaths and three injured), and 53 kidnap victims. The incidents resulted in the casualty cases for both male and female residents in the attack location. The spread of impact on women and girls are felt more in locations with more cases of violence.

The gender dynamics of violent conflicts in Nigeria remain obscured. Not much has been done to amplify, through journalism and discourse, the impact of Nigeria’s avalanche of security challenges on women and girls. Also, conflict reporting has come short of disaggregating the data based on gender. Hence, data on the gender dynamics of violent conflicts in Nigeria on mainstream media is insufficient.

The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, met with service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to examine and devise strategies to curb the activities of armed non-state actors within the country. In a meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Northern Governors Forum agreed to adopt new methods to address the region's situation, including deploying kinetic and non-kinetic approaches against the insurgents within the area.

The government should enhance socioeconomic development by involving strategic investments in education, job creation, and poverty reduction initiatives, especially in regions identified as high-risk. Such investments mitigate the underlying grievances that often drive individuals to criminality. The proactive and cooperative partnerships between the police and the community to aid intelligence gathering and apprehension of bandits and other armed groups are paramount.

There is a huge call for mainstream media channels should be more intentional in capturing and reporting the gender dynamics of violent conflicts in Nigeria. This will enhance generation of information on the impact of Nigeria’s security challenges across communities and conflict types.

Download Bulletin May 2024 Edition