Amnesty International Reports 1,100 Abductions in Northern Nigeria

Amnesty International reports that at least 1,100 people were abducted across northern Nigeria between January and April 2026. The organization states that armed groups have shifted their tactics from killings to large-scale abductions primarily driven by lucrative ransom demands, specifically targeting rural communities and internally displaced persons.

Amnesty International notes that victims face torture, starvation, and rape, while the crisis forces families into extreme economic hardship. The instability has caused children to drop out of school and led to an increase in early marriages for underage girls as a strategy to avoid abduction. Specific incidents include a February 3 attack in Woro village, Kwara, where 200 people were killed and 176 abducted, and the kidnapping of over 100 displaced persons by Boko Haram near Mafa in Borno State.

Isa Sanusi, the director of Amnesty International Nigeria, criticized the government of Bola Tinubu for failing its constitutional and international human rights obligations. The organization reports that security forces often arrive hours after attacks have occurred. Beyond abductions, violence continues in Kebbi, Benue, Katsina, and Plateau states, where bandits continue to raid villages despite government peace deals.