No fewer than 310 Nigerians were killed in various security crises across the country in May 2019, just as Zamfara, Borno and Katsina states tops the three states with highest number of victims, according to a report released, in Abuja, on Thursday.
The report was prepared by a media tracking group, Nigeria Mourns, and it noted that the deceased included 22 soldiers and seven policemen.
The group stated that the breakdown revealed that the North-Western state of Zamfara lost 67 persons to banditry in May, with Borno State losing 64 lives to the Boko Haram terrorists.
Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, came third with 51 deaths from banditry, kidnapping and related crises.
The report said other states included Rivers, 18; Ogun four, Ebonyi five, Taraba, 29; Plateau 12 and Edo 12.
In Jigawa State, 26 lives were lost, while Lagos, Delta and Kogi states had one death each.
The report said, “Despite claims of control over insecurity by security heads and the President, several attacks from insurgents, bandits, cultists and herdsmen, among others, have occurred, leaving a host of casualties and reported deaths of 310 citizens.
“Even more worrisome is the fact that citizens have lost confidence in the ability of the government to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, and as they continue to live in fear of attacks; many have taken to securing arms to protect themselves.
“The recurring violent incidents bring to mind several questions, among which are: why do these attacks abound despite the deployment of security personnel to troubled areas of the country?
“How useful are the intelligentsia of the security forces to the prevention of these mass atrocities?”
