8372 lives lost to insecurity in Nigeria  in 2021 -Report

A data consulting firm, Beacon, has revealed that no fewer than 8372 people lost their lives to security challenges in Nigeria in 2021.

The firm on Wednesday stated that the larger share of these deaths were recorded in the northern part of the country.

The report stated: “An analysis of the fatalities for January 1–December 31, 2021, shows that we recorded a total of 8234 8372 fatalities across the country.

“A breakdown of these fatalities according to the geopolitical regions shows that the North West suffered the highest with 3051 deaths, followed by the North-East with 1895 casualties, North-Central 1684 victims,
South-East 853, South-South 448 and South-West 441.

“The breakdown further shows that 36.4% of the yearly fatality figures affected the North-West region, 22.6% the North-East and 20.1% the North-Central. This puts the total
percentage of fatalities for Northern Nigeria at 79.2%.”

Revealing the causes of insecurity in the nation, Beacon also said in December 2021 it observed, “Social upheaval especially in northern communities protesting against the perceived deterioration in the security situation, a major bandit leader in North-West expresses his willingness to demobilise but gives conditions.

“The continuation of security forces operations across the country, criminal activities in South-West Nigeria, the increase in rocket attacks targeting Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the closure of IDP camps in some parts of the state and the reopening of a major travel route.”

It warned the nation’s stakeholders while predicting possibilities of more security threats in the country.

It added, “The deteriorating security situation will continue to fuel political rancour and the exchange between the ruling party and its members and between it and opposition parties.

“Social upheaval especially protests by civil society organisations and political groups hiding behind civil activists will intensify as a major driver of security challenges as the effect of the economic downturn forces government at the federal and dtate levels to take measures to manage these impacts.”