Amnesty International raises alarm as 1,100 abducted in Northern Nigeria, urges Tinubu to act fast

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Rights group Amnesty International has called on President Bola Tinubu and his government to urgently tackle what it described as a horrifying surge of abductions targeting rural communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Nigeria.

In its latest infographic on abductions, Amnesty reported that at least 1,100 people were abducted between January and April 2026.

The breakdown includes:

• 3 January — 57 abducted in Kasuwan Daji, Niger State (North-Central).
• 3 February — 176 abducted in Woro village, Kaiama LGA, Kwara State; 200 killed in the same attack.
• 19 February — 92 abducted in Tsafe axis, Zamfara State (North-West).
• 18 January — 166 abducted in Kajuru, Kaduna State; followed by 30 abducted on 22 March in Kachia, Kaduna.
• 30 March — 18 abducted in Mayanci, Zamfara State.
• 2 April — 150 abducted in Bukkuyum, Zamfara State.
• 3 March — Over 400 abducted in Ngoshe town, Gwoza LGA, Borno State (North-East), after Boko Haram fighters laid siege.
• 19 March — 100 abducted in Kumbo Forest, Borno State (reportedly released).
• First week of April — 150 abducted in Kurfa Danya and Kurfan Magaji villages, Bukkuyum LGA, Zamfara State.

Amnesty described the situation as “deeply alarming,” warning that the scale of abductions reflects a worsening security crisis that threatens vulnerable communities.

The organisation urged the Nigerian government to act decisively, stressing that failure to protect citizens undermines both national stability and fundamental human rights.