‘Unverified, Not Cross-Checked’ – Police Knock Amnesty Over Abduction Figures

The Nigeria Police Force has faulted a report by Amnesty International, which claimed that at least 1,100 persons were kidnapped across Nigeria within a three-month period.

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The police described the figure as unverified and not subjected to scrutiny by relevant security agencies, raising concerns about the credibility of the report.

Reacting to the development on Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, openly challenged Amnesty International to disclose the source of its data.

“What is their source of information? They didn’t consult the police or cross-check with us,” he said.

“We have our records. And they didn’t check with us. If they didn’t consult us, then you should know better. Ask for the source of their report.”

Placid stressed that any credible statistics on crime, especially sensitive issues such as kidnapping, must be validated with official security records to avoid misinformation.

Amnesty International had earlier sounded the alarm over what it described as a worsening wave of abductions across Nigeria, particularly in the northern region.

In a statement, the organisation said that between January and April 2026, at least 1,100 people were abducted, with most victims drawn from rural communities and internally displaced persons’ camps.

The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, warned that the situation was dire and possibly underreported.

In a statement posted on its 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) handle, the organisation called on President Bola Tinubu to act urgently.

“President Bola Tinubu and his government must urgently address the country’s horrifying spate of abductions targeting rural communities and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the northern part of the country, as at least 1,100 people have been abducted in three months – from January to April 2026,” the statement read.

Amnesty painted a grim picture of the fate of victims in captivity, stating that abducted persons are often exposed to extreme brutality.

It noted that victims are subjected to torture, starvation, rape, and in some cases, forced to participate in violent acts.

“Apart from killing people, gunmen are now on a rampage of abductions – largely for lucrative ransom. Some stay months at the mercy of gunmen in punishing situations,” Sanusi said.

The organisation further noted that available figures on abductions across Nigeria vary widely, warning that many commonly cited statistics may significantly understate the true scale of the crisis.

Naija News reports that to support its claims, Amnesty International provided a catalogue of incidents across multiple states.

Among them was a February 3 attack on Woro village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, where about 200 people were reportedly killed and 176 others abducted.

It also cited:

• The abduction of 150 people in early April in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State
• The kidnapping of over 100 internally displaced persons by Boko Haram fighters near Mafa in Borno State in March
• The mass abduction of more than 400 persons in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on March 3
• The kidnapping of 57 persons in Niger State in January

Further incidents highlighted by the organisation included: “On March 30, 18 passengers in a commercial vehicle travelling from Abuja to Sokoto were abducted along Mayanci in a part of Zamfara State.

“On February 19, 2026, 92 people were abducted by an armed group in Zamfara State. A total of 42 people were abducted in Anka Local Government Area, and another 50 were separately abducted in Tsafe Local Government Area.

“On January 18, 2026, gunmen carried out a mass abduction by attacking three churches at Kurmin Wali village in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State during a morning worship service. At least 166 people were abducted. It was reported that they were released later.”

Survivor Narrates Family Ordeal

Amnesty also shared testimonies from victims and affected residents to underscore the human cost of the attacks.

A resident of Woro community in Kwara State recounted the devastating impact of the attack on his family.

“They didn’t just kill; they stole our life away,” he said.

“They abducted 176 people, including my second wife and my three daughters. One of them is only two years old. I have seen the video they posted on social media.

“I heard my wife’s voice. I saw my people. It has been almost two months now, and they are still in that forest.”

The organisation warned that the surge in abductions is forcing families into extreme economic hardship.

“In almost all cases of these abductions, people were also killed, homes and shops looted and razed,” Amnesty reported.

“In some cases, families must dispose of everything they have to pay ransom, while villages often crowdsource to rescue their people.

“Those who could not pay are sometimes either killed, disappeared or tortured more.”

Sanusi added that the situation in northern Nigeria has evolved into a full-blown crisis.

“What we are witnessing right now in the northern part of Nigeria is a crisis of abduction that increasingly endangers lives,” he said.

Education disrupted, girls forced into early marriage

Amnesty further noted that insecurity is taking a toll on education in affected communities.

According to the organisation, many families have withdrawn their children from school due to fear of abduction, while underage girls are increasingly being pushed into early marriages as a form of protection.

The group accused authorities of failing to meet their constitutional and international obligations to safeguard citizens.

Police Call For Collaboration, Credible Data

In response, the police reiterated that accurate crime reporting requires collaboration between civil society groups and security agencies.

The Force maintained that figures must be verified with official records to ensure reliability and avoid creating unnecessary panic among the public.

Killings Dangerously Underreported

Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, expressed concern over what he described as the underreporting of mass killings across Nigeria.

In a statement made available on Sunday, he warned that the scale of violence in the country is being “dangerously underreported and increasingly normalised.”

“What we are witnessing is a pattern of mass killings that fail to sustain national outrage or global attention,” he said.

Olawepo-Hashim cited recent incidents across several states to back his claims.

He pointed to attacks in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State, where more than 40 persons were reportedly killed within a week, noting that local sources suggest the death toll could be higher as more bodies were discovered.

He added that the same community had earlier suffered another attack that claimed at least seven lives.

The politician also highlighted violence in Kwara State, particularly in Kaiama, Baruten and Ifelodun areas, where between 20 and 50 people were reportedly killed in recent weeks, including five forest guards.

Across the North-Central region, he cited:

• Between 50 and 100 deaths in Benue State within weeks
• Coordinated night attacks in Plateau State resulting in 30 to 80 deaths
• Fatalities ranging from 20 to 50 in Niger State
• Between 10 and 20 deaths in Nasarawa State

He estimated that between 130 and 300 people may have been killed within a short period across these regions.

Olawepo-Hashim criticised what he described as a muted response from the international community, including the United Nations and the African Union.

“There is a growing perception that Nigerian lives have been so devalued that even routine expressions of condolence are no longer made,” he said.

The developments come amid renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu had recently reassured Nigerians of continued government support for the Armed Forces in the fight against insurgency and banditry.

However, with conflicting data from stakeholders and continued reports of attacks, concerns persist over the true scale of insecurity and the urgent need for coordinated action to address it.