“We are urging UN Secretary-General António Guterres to urgently invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter and bring Nigeria’s escalating insecurity—marked by mass abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, mass displacement and other grave human rights violations—to the attention of the UN Security Council,” Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said.
Repeated abductions, killings, attacks on civilians and mass displacement in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara and several other parts of the country reflect Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and grave human rights violations, SERAP said.
In the open letter dated May 30, 2026, signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The scale, persistence and regional implications of the insecurity and serious human rights crisis in Nigeria represent a threat to international peace and security and risk exacerbating existing threats in the region.”
“Article 99 of the UN Charter is intended precisely for situations where emerging or ongoing crises call for urgent preventive diplomacy, sustained international scrutiny and coordinated international action,” SERAP said.
“Several years of violence and conflicts in several states have created appalling human suffering, physical destruction and collective trauma across Nigeria, SERAP said. “We are appealing on the basis of the preventive mandate of the UN Charter and the need to deal with a situation that is rapidly deteriorating in the country.”
“Article 99 of the UN Charter reads in part: ‘The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.’
“Incorporating the growing insecurity and grave human rights violations in Nigeria into the formal agenda of the Security Council would boost the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations system in fulfilling its primary duty of maintaining international peace and security.”
“It would also help keep sustained international focus on attacks on civilians, including abductions, killings and displacement.”
“The crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law enforcement issue. Its impact increasingly affects regional peace and security by movement of armed groups and weapons across borders, massive displacement, growing instability beyond Nigeria’s borders and weakening human rights protection and rule of law institutions.”
“There is no effective protection of people and communities. There are repeated reports of a pattern of large-scale violence in several states.
“Nigeria is in the midst of a serious and worsening security crisis, marked by repeated mass abductions of schoolchildren, teachers, women, commuters and rural dwellers; attacks on villages and farming communities; killings by armed groups and criminal networks; and mass displacement.”
Communities in Oyo, Benue, Borno and across Nigeria are still under repeated attacks with devastating consequences for civilian life, dignity and security. The recent abductions of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, have laid bare the severity of the crisis facing the civilian population.”
“On or about 15 May 2026, armed men allegedly attacked some schools in Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, including Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School and L.A. Primary School.
In the coordinated attacks, at least 25 pupils and seven teachers were abducted. “An assistant headmaster was reportedly killed and another teacher died in captivity later.”
Disturbing videos of one of the abducted teachers, Community Grammar School vice principal, begging President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde and Nigerians to secure the release of the victims, later circulated. “Abductees are being held in harsh conditions and exposed to extreme weather. There are calls for urgent dialogue to save their lives.”
“This incident underscores the devastating human consequences of recurring abductions targeting schools, children and education workers, and the urgent need to strengthen civilian protection, accountability and prevention measures.”
“Available information also shows that gunmen have recently abducted secondary school students and other travellers in Benue State as they travel to write university entrance examinations.
“There are also increasing attacks by non-state armed groups in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions. Bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, have reportedly killed at least 23 people and injured over 100 others.
“These attacks have been accompanied by repeated attacks on military formations, attacks on internally displaced persons’ camps, abductions of women and children and killings of civilians in rural communities.”
Gunmen killed at least 10 people, including women and children, in Katsina State recently. At least 20 people were killed in coordinated raids in separate incidents, and residents were taken hostage. “Another attack in Adamawa State reportedly left at least 29 dead.
“Taken together, these events are indicative of a growing security crisis characterized by mass killings, abductions and ongoing attacks on rural communities.”
The situation is rapidly degenerating into a humanitarian and security crisis, with potentially wide-ranging implications for Nigerians as a whole and for peace, security and stability throughout the West African subregion. The utmost urgency is required to prevent this result.”
“Recent statements by United Nations officials have underscored the growing international alarm at the deteriorating insecurity and grave human rights abuses in Nigeria. “In June 2025 you condemned the killing of people in Benue State and called for those responsible to be found and apprehended.”
“In February 2026, you also condemned the terrorist attack in Kwara State, reiterated the solidarity of the United Nations with Nigeria and emphasized the need to bring perpetrators to justice.”
“The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed shock on the surge in mass abductions in Nigeria in November 2025 and called on authorities at all levels to take all lawful measures to halt such attacks, ensure accountability and secure the safe return of victims.”
“The United Nations has also warned that insecurity in Nigeria is producing wider humanitarian and regional consequences. “Violence in several regions has displaced millions, disrupted livelihoods and deepened one of the country’s most severe humanitarian crises in recent years,” the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria has noted.
“UN agencies have also voiced concern that sustained attacks and instability are worsening food insecurity and putting pressure on communities in Nigeria and throughout the region.
“These repeated warnings confirm that this is not only a domestic crisis, but one that has serious human rights, humanitarian and regional peace and security implications.”
“The Secretary-General’s recent invocation of Article 99 in relation to Gaza reaffirmed the importance of this role in situations involving large-scale human suffering, humanitarian emergency and risks of wider regional destabilisation.”
“It demonstrated the importance of acting quickly when national crises have transboundary consequences, such as displacement and insecurity.”
“Under international human rights law, state responsibility goes beyond refraining from direct violations. Nigerian authorities could be responsible where they fail to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish and remedy abuses by non-state actors where risks are known or reasonably foreseeable.”
“The pattern of abductions, attacks, enforced disappearances, killings and violence across Nigeria is repeatedly documented and foreseeable, and these risks are well known.”
“Where such threats persist in the absence of adequate preventative protection, effective investigation or accountability serious concerns arise under international human rights law including the UN Charter.”
“Ongoing insecurity across Nigeria has caused and continues to cause devastating loss of life, destruction of communities and fear among millions. “These attacks, their humanitarian consequences and their implications on regional stability are persistent and require urgent international attention.”
SERAP has thus urged Mr António Guterres to:
“Use your authority under Article 99 to immediately draw the attention of the Security Council to the situation in Nigeria.
Encourage the Security Council to provide regular public briefings on the issues of insecurity, abductions and the humanitarian consequences in Nigeria.
Call for systematic reporting by relevant UN bodies on attacks, displacement, and humanitarian impacts.
We call on the Nigerian authorities to take urgent steps to prevent attacks, protect civilians, and ensure the release of abducted persons.
Call for speedy, impartial and efficient investigation of all incidents and for perpetrators and enablers to be held accountable.
Publicly call on the Nigerian authorities to respect their human rights obligations and enhance civilian protection measures.
Support measures to fight impunity, and guarantee remedies and reparation to victims and affected communities.
Urge the international community to use all means at its disposal to prevent further escalation and to protect the lives of the people.
