Nigeria

Casualties

In December 2022, there were seven recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, four of which caused 87 civilian casualties, 69 of whom were killed and 18 injured. Civilian casualties included at least one child. Civilians accounted for 20% of the total 443 casualties of explosive weapon use, as 256 armed actors were also killed.

The vast majority, 98% (85), of civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 87% (76) occurred in villages, and 10% (10) in urban residential areas.The remaining 2% (2) of civilian casualties occurred on unpopulated roads.

The states in which the most civilian casualties were reported in Nigeria were Zamfara (76 civilian casualties), Kogi (6), Borno (3), and Niger (2).

The majority of civilian casualties, 87% (76), were caused by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically the Nigerian Air Force. Use by non-state actors caused 13% (11) of civilian casualties, specifically Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) (6 civilian casualties) and unknown non-state actors (5).

Air-launched weapons were the cause of 87% (76) of civilian casualties, specifically air-strikes. Directly-emplaced weapons caused 13%(11) of civilian casualties, specifically car bombs (6 civilian casualties), non-specific IEDs (3), and landmines (2).

The highest casualty incident occurred on 18 December 2022, when 64 civilians were killed and 12 injured in a Nigerian military forces airstrike in a village in Zamfara.

Civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in December rose considerably compared to November, when 10 incidents caused seven reported civilian casualties (six killed, one injured). In October, four incidents of explosive weapon use were recorded, and they caused no civilian casualties.

Sources: Premium Times NG, African Union Press, Street Journal

Casualties

In November 2022, there were 10 recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, which resulted in seven civilian casualties, of whom six were killed and one injured. Civilians accounted for 9% of all casualties, as 70 armed-actor casualties were also reported in Nigeria in November, of whom 55 were killed and 15 injured.

The highest civilian casualty incident occurred on 8November 2022, when four cow herders were killed, including one woman and one child, in airstrikes in Abuni and Adudu villages, Nasarawa.  

Sources: Leadership NG, Platinum Post NG

Casualties

In October 2022, there were no recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria which resulted in civilian casualties. 105 armed actors were killed in Nigeria in October. 

The highest armed actor casualty incident occurred on 08 October 2022, when a bandit leader and 30 other militants were killed in a Nigerian Air Force air strike on a house in Yadi, Kaduna.   

Sources: The Cable, Premium Times NG, AllAfrica 

Casualties

In September 2022, there was one recorded incident of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, which resulted in one civilian injury. There were no armed-actor casualties in Nigeria in September. 

On 18 September 2022, a four-year-old girl was injured in an IED explosion outside a pub in Jalingo, Taraba.   

Sources: Channels TV, Sahara Reporters

Casualties

In August 2022, there were no recorded incidents of explosive weapon use which resulted in civilian casualties in Nigeria. There were 145 armed-actor casualties in Nigeria in August, 141 of whom were killed and four injured. 

On 31 August 2022, 29 Boko Haram militants were killed in a Nigerian Air Force airstrike on their camp in Gazuwa, Borno.   

Sources: Daily Post NG, Leadership

Casualties

In July 2022, there were four recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, one of which resulted in 14 civilian casualties, six of whom were killed and eight injured. At least one civilian casualty was a woman. Civilians accounted for 17% of the total 84 casualties recorded in Nigeria in July, as 70 armed actors were also killed. 

The highest casualty incident occurred on 06 July 2022, when six civilians were killed and eight injured in an Nigerian Air Force air strike on an armed base in Katsina, where civilians were being kept hostage.   

Sources: Premium Times, BBC 

Casualties

In June 2022, there were eight recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, four of which caused 66 civilian casualties, 38 of whom were killed and 28 injured. At least 17 women and 13 children were recorded among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 43% of casualties of explosive weapons use in Nigeria in June, as 89 armed-actor casualties were also recorded, 85 of whom were killed and four injured. 

All of the civilian casualties occurred in populated areas, specifically 77% (51) in places of worship, 17% (11) in encampments, 5% (3) on roads, and 2% (1) in public gatherings.

The states in which civilian casualties were reported in Nigeria were Ondo (51 civilian casualties), Borno (14), and Kogi (1).

All of the civilian casualties were caused by non-state actors’ use of explosive weapons. In particular, Boko Haram caused 17% (11) of civilian casualties and ISWAP 5% (3). Unknown non-state actors were responsible for 79% (52).

The majority of civilian casualties, 83% (55), were caused by directly-emplaced weapons, in particular non-specific IEDs (52) and roadside bombs (3). Ground-launched weapons, specifically mortars, were responsible for 17% (11) of civilian casualties.

The highest casualty incident occurred on 05 June 2022, when at least 23 civilians were killed and 28 injured in an IED attack on a church in Ondo. Casualties included at least 17 women and 13 children. Firearms were also used and it’s likely some casualties were caused by firearms. 

The number of recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in June 2022 saw a slight rise from May, in which five incidents caused 50 civilian casualties (12 killed and 38 injured). Numbers of incidents and casualties have remained similar throughout April, May and June. 

Sources: Premium Times, FIJ, MNA 

Casualties

In May 2022, there were five recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, three of which caused 50 civilian casualties, 12 of whom were killed and 38 injured. At least two women were recorded among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 85% of casualties of explosive weapons use in Nigeria in May 2022, as nine armed-actor casualties were also recorded, all of whom were killed. 

All of the civilian casualties occurred in populated areas, specifically schools, 72% (36), and entertainment venues, 28% (14). The states in which civilian casualties were reported in Nigeria were Kano (36 civilian casualties) and Kogi (14).

All of the civilian casualties were caused by non-state actors’ use of non-specific IEDS, specifically Boko Haram, 72% (36). Unknown non-state actors caused 28% (14) of civilian casualties. 

The highest casualty incident occurred on 17 May 2022, when nine civilians were killed and 27 injured in an IED explosion outside a school, in Kano, which was most likely a suicide attack. The incident was initially reported as a gas explosion, but it has since been attributed to Boko Haram. 

The number of recorded incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in May 2022 is relatively level with April, in which six incidents were recorded that caused 59 civilian casualties (17 killed and 42 injured). However, levels are still rising from March, when four reported incidents of explosive weapon use caused two civilian casualties, both injured. 

Sources: Sahara Reporters, Human Angle, Daily Post Nigeria 

Casualties

In April 2022, there were six incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Nigeria, resulting in 59 civilian casualties, of whom 17 were killed and 42 injured. There were at least six children among the civilian casualties. Civilians accounted for 95% of the total 62 casualties, as there were also three recorded armed-actor casualties, all of whom were killed. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 71% (42), occurred in populated areas. All civilian casualties in poplulated areas took place in entertainment venues. 19% (11) of civilian casualties occurred in agricultural areas, and 10% (6) occurred in other or unknown locations.

The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in Nigeria were Taraba (34 civilian casualties), Borno (11), Yobe (8), and Niger (6). The three armed-actor casualties took place in Katsina. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 58% (34), were caused by non-state actors’ use of explosive weapons, specifically ISIS. Nigerian state forces were responsible for 10% (6) of civilian casualties, specifically the six children. Groups of unknown status and name were the perpetrator in the case of 32% (19) of civilian casualties.

The use of non-specific IEDs were the cause of 90% (53) of civilian casualties. Artillery shells were the cause of 10% (6) of civilian casualties, and 100% of the casualties reported as children. 

The highest casualty incident occurred on 19 April 2022, when six civilians were killed and 19 injured in the bombing of a bar in Taraba, claimed by Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). Another high-casualty incident occurred on 13 April 2022, when six children were killed in artillery shelling by the Nigerian government, in Niger state. Nigerian air force fighter jets were reportedly targeting militants, but their artillery shells struck the civilian community instead and hit the children as they walked from fetching water.

The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in April saw a rise from March, in which four incidents were recorded that caused two civilian casualties. In February 2022, there were seven reported incidents of explosive violence in Nigeria, which caused 14 civilian casualties. Five people were killed and nine were injured. 

Sources: Reuters, the Cable, Niaja, Daily Trust

Casualties

In March 2022, there were four incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Nigeria, one of which resulted in two civilian casualties, both of whom were injured. Civilians accounted for >4% of the total 53 casualties, as there were also 51 recorded armed-actor casualties of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, 48 of whom were killed and three injured. 

Sources: Channel TV, The Sun, Blueprint 

Casualties

In January 2022, there were seven incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Nigeria, two of which resulted in 14 civilian casualties, five of whom were killed and nine injured. Civilians accounted for 9% of total 151 casualties, as there were also 137 recorded armed-actor casualties of explosive weapon use in Nigeria, 119 of whom were killed and 18 injured. 

On 16 February 2022, five civilians were killed by an IED on a road in Borno, set by non-state actors, suspected to be Boko Haram or the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP). On 8 February 2022, nine civilians were injured when ISWAP members fired rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) into a village in Wulgo, Borno.

Sources: Naija, All Africa

Casualties

In January 2022, there were no recorded civilian casualties of explosive weapon use in Nigeria.

There was one recorded incident of explosive weapon use on 1 January 2022, when two armed-actors were killed by Nigerian state airstrikes in Birin Magaji, Zamfara. 

Sources: Premium Times, Vanguard, Nigerian Tribune

Casualties

In December 2021, there were two incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in Nigeria, which resulted in 18 civilian casualties (including one child). Civilians accounted for 64% of the total 28 casualties. There were 10 recorded armed-actor casualties, seven of whom were killed and three injured.

The highest casualty incident took place on 23 December 2021, when five people were killed, including a young girl, and at least twelve injured by the Islamic State's West Africa Province’s (ISWAP) mortar fire on civilian homes in Maiduguri in Borno state, Nigeria. The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, was on a state visit to the area on the day of the attack. 

Sources: Leadership, Global Upfront News, The Sun

Casualties

In October 2021, there was one incident of explosive weapon use that caused two civilian casualties, and three other incidents which caused 93 armed-actor casualties. On 24 October 2021, two people were killed by a grenade blast at a prison in Abolongo, Oyo state. Nigerian state airstrikes in October reportedly killed 87 armed-actors, primarily Boko Haram, in Borno and Kaduna. 

Sources: The Nation, Legit, PM News

Casualties

In September 2021, there were four incidents of explosive weapons use, three of which resulted in 56 civilian casualties, including 11 fatalities and 69 injuries. Of these, 52 civilian casualties were caused by airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Airforce, reportedly targeting armed groups. On 16 September, nine civilians were killed, including three children, and 23 injured, in an airstrike by the Nigerian Airforce on a village in Buhari, Yobe, near the border with Niger. On 26 September, 20 civilians, all fishermen, were killed by a Nigerian state airstrike in Dabara Masara, Borno, that reportedly targeted militants from an Islamic State-affiliated group.

September was the second highest month for civilian casualties in Nigeria in 2021, and the highest month this year for civilian casualties caused by state-actor use of explosive violence.

Sources: Reuters, The Washington Post, The Guardian, AfricaNews

There were two incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in August 2021, resulting in 64 armed actor casualties. There were no civilian casualties recorded in Nigeria in August 2021. All armed actor casualties were caused by the Nigerian State forces targeting insurgent groups with air-launched weapons in Zamfara and Borno. Sources: This Day Live, The News, Daily Post

There were two incidents of explosive weapon use in Nigeria in July 2021, which resulted in nine civilian casualties. There were no armed-actor casualties. Both incidents occurred in populated areas. Three of the casualties, one child fatality and two others wounded, were caused by an IED. The worst incident for civilian casualties was a Nigerian state airstrike targeting armed groups in Zamfara, which killed a woman and four children and injured another woman. Sources: Sahara Reporters, Daily Trust.

In Nigeria, there were 12 civilian casualties from one recorded incident involving explosive weapons on 4 May 2021, when a vehicle hit a landmine in Ranh, near the border with Cameroon. Five people were killed and seven injured in the blast. Source: News 24