An analysis from Police Fatality Tracker (2023–2025) and Security Force Brutality Report (2020–2025), curated by SBM Intelligence, has shown a deepening crisis within Nigeria’s security framework.
Between October 2020 and July 2025, Nigeria’s security agents were responsible for 598 incidents of violence against civilians, resulting in 824 fatalities. Simultaneously, from 2023 to 2025, police officers themselves became targets, suffering 255 incidents and 242 deaths at the hands of non-state actors across the federation.
The data shows how police officers are under violent siege from armed groups, while the same security institutions increasingly brutalize the citizens they are meant to protect.
The overlapping cycles of violence call into question the effectiveness of current security strategies. Poor welfare, lack of training, impunity, and outdated engagement rules are all contributing to a security system turning against itself.
Recently, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore issued a powerful call for improved welfare for personnel of the Nigerian Police Force, warning that serving officers may stage nationwide protests if their conditions remain unchanged.
Police Victimhood: Attacks on Officers Intensify
The data for 2023–2025 underscores a disturbing trend: Nigeria’s police have become a prime target in the widening insecurity landscape. The South East recorded the highest number of attacks on police, accounting for 86 incidents. The North Central followed with 75, while the South South experienced 66.
By state, Borno recorded the highest police fatalities at 27, followed closely by Anambra (26 deaths from 22 incidents) and Zamfara (21 incidents, 21 deaths). Even relatively stable urban centers like Lagos were not immune, with 10 officers killed across 11 incidents.
This wave of violence reflects the growing influence of groups such as separatists, bandits, jihadist factions, and “unknown gunmen,” who together accounted for the majority of police fatalities. Year-on-year data reveals persistent escalation: 110 police-targeted attacks in 2023, 111 in 2024, and 34 already recorded by mid-2025.
Deadly Reprisals: Security Forces Turn on Civilians
While officers face rising threats, the other side of the coin is equally damning. Between 2020 and 2025, Nigeria’s security agencies were involved in 598 violent incidents against civilians, resulting in 824 deaths. The Nigeria Police Force alone was responsible for 317 incidents and 303 deaths, making it the most implicated institution.
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Lagos State topped the brutality chart, recording 88 incidents and 65 civilian deaths, followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 36 deaths from 36 incidents, and Delta with 35 fatalities.
The South South zone emerged as the most affected region, with 194 deaths, followed by the South West (159 fatalities) and North Central (127 fatalities). This pattern suggests a heavy-handed response by security agents in zones also grappling with militia violence, oil theft, and political unrest.
Beyond the police, other forces were also responsible for civilian casualties: the Nigerian Army (149 deaths), FRSC (9 deaths), NSCDC (7), and even the EFCC (6 fatalities). Paramilitary groups and vigilantes, including Ebube Agu in the South East, also contributed to the rising body count.
Both data reveal a tragic paradox in Nigeria’s law enforcement system. Security personnel are being overwhelmed by violent actors, while also lashing out against civilians in acts of undisciplined force and frustration.
For instance, in Anambra, police recorded 22 attacks with 26 fatalities, while the same state witnessed 31 incidents of security force brutality against civilians. In Plateau, 24 civilians were killed by security forces, but the state also reported 5 police deaths from 6 attacks.
The figures also showed the spread of violence into previously less volatile states. Ebonyi, Taraba, Nasarawa, and Benue all reported multiple incidents of police fatalities, while citizens in states like Abia, Gombe, and Bayelsa suffered deaths at the hands of security operatives.
As these numbers show, Nigeria’s security crisis is no longer a one-sided war against terror or banditry—it is a conflict in which both security agents and civilians are locked in mutual fear and mistrust. With over 1,000 fatalities combined from both trends in under five years, the cost in human lives is mounting rapidly.
By: James Odunayo
