Nigeria is facing a worsening security emergency, with more than 1,000 citizens abducted across the country since January 2026, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has said.

CHRICED Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi raised the alarm on Tuesday in Abuja during a state of the nation press conference.

He warned that the country is drifting into a deeper crisis marked by escalating violence, weak governance responses, and declining public confidence in state institutions.

According to him, the scale and persistence of kidnappings across multiple regions reflected a dangerous breakdown in national security architecture.

According to him, Nigeria is increasingly becoming unsafe for citizens, with armed groups operating freely in several parts of the country despite ongoing security operations.

“Since January 2026, more than 1,000 Nigerians have been abducted. This is not just a statistic, it is a reflection of a nation under severe strain,” Zikirullahi said.

He added that the situation now amounts to  an undeclared war against citizens, with insecurity spreading across the Northeast, Northwest, North Central, and parts of the South.

CHRICED said the Northeast remains a major hotspot, with Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continuing attacks on communities and military formations.

In the Northwest and North Central, the group said banditry has evolved into a highly organised criminal economy driven by mass abductions, village raids, and ransom negotiations.

The organisation also warned that the South is no longer insulated, citing increasing cases of kidnapping and violent crime in several states.

It said the geographic spread of insecurity reflects a broader failure of intelligence coordination and preventive policing.

The group also referenced recent high-profile incidents, including attacks on military formations and civilian communities, saying such developments further highlight the fragility of Nigeria’s security system.

CHRICED described the killing of senior military personnel in insurgent attacks as a symbolic rupture that underscores growing boldness among armed groups.

It also expressed concern over reports of civilian casualties linked to military operations, warning that errors in counter-insurgency efforts risk deepening public mistrust.

CHRICED called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, insisting that current strategies are no longer sufficient to address the scale of violence.

Beyond insecurity, CHRICED said the rising wave of kidnappings is linked to broader governance failures, including unemployment, poverty, and weakening state institutions

It warned that unless urgent reforms are undertaken, Nigeria risks further erosion of public trust and deeper social instability.