Summary of Nigeria's Security Situation in November 2025

Researcher No. 007

Based on the monitoring reports from Hanwei International's security officers stationed in West Africa and comprehensive media coverage, a total of 77 security incidents were recorded in Nigeria in December 2025. These incidents claimed the lives of 182 civilians and 5 military/police personnel, with at least 242 people abducted. The main types of security incidents included armed attacks and kidnappings, military counter-terrorism operations, and public safety accidents.

Compared with the previous month, the number of security incidents decreased by 2, the death toll rose by 73, and the number of abducted people dropped by 406. Analysis indicates that December coincided with Christmas and New Year's Day, making Nigeria's security situation more severe. Large-scale armed attacks and kidnappings continued to surge in central Kwara State, Plateau State, north-central Zamfara State, Kaduna State, and northeastern Borno State, leading to a substantial increase in the death toll month-on-month.

In addition, the United States launched a military strike against northwestern Nigeria on December 25, further exacerbating the instability of Nigeria's security landscape. In December, the central, mid-western, and northeastern regions of Nigeria were classified as extremely high-risk areas, while other regions were rated as medium-to-high risk.

I. Comprehensive Analysis of Security Incidents

The 77 security incidents in Nigeria in December were categorized as follows:

28 armed attacks (36% of the total)
30 armed kidnappings (38%)
2 ethnic conflicts (2.5%)
9 public safety incidents (11%)
5 military counter-terrorism operations (6.4%)
3 protests and demonstrations (3.8%)

Collectively, these incidents resulted in 308 deaths and at least 242 abductions. The fatalities included 182 civilians, 5 military/police personnel, and 121 neutralized terrorists. The overall security situation was characterized by the following key points:

(1) Extremely High Security Risks in Central, Mid-western and Northeastern Regions

In December, security incidents in Nigeria were concentrated primarily in northeastern Borno State, central Kwara State, Plateau State, and mid-western Zamfara State. Meanwhile, north-central Kaduna State, Niger State, and central Benue State, Nasarawa State were also identified as high-risk areas.

Among these, Kwara State in the central region ranked as the highest-risk area, with 10 security incidents—consistent with the previous month—mainly consisting of armed attacks and kidnappings, resulting in 42 abductions. This marked the fifth consecutive month that Kwara State recorded more than 5 security incidents.

Following closely was Zamfara State in the mid-west, where 8 security incidents (mostly armed attacks and kidnappings) led to 20 deaths and 35 abductions.

During the month, Hanwei International's security officers in West Africa issued two security alerts:

On December 13, they warned that Nigerian Islamic extremists were plotting attacks targeting Christian communities in Plateau State, Benue State, and Kaduna State during the Christmas period.
On December 27, a second alert was issued, designating the forested border area of Kwara State, Niger State, and Kogi State as a "Terror Triangle". The emerging terrorist group "Mahmuda" was planning retaliatory attacks in response to the arrest of its leader, making the area extremely high-risk. Chinese-funded enterprises and personnel in and around this region were advised to strengthen safety precautions.

In mid-December, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization also warned that armed groups might launch attacks in central and northern Nigeria during Christmas, with high-risk areas including Plateau State, Nasarawa State, Benue State, and Kaduna State.

Figure 1: Distribution Map of Security Incidents in December

Table 1: Statistics of Security Incidents in Major Regions in December

(2) Persistent High Incidence of Armed Attacks and Kidnappings

In December, Nigeria remained under a nationwide security emergency, with military and police forces intensifying crackdowns on terrorist organizations. Despite these efforts, 58 armed attacks and kidnappings were reported, causing 187 deaths and at least 242 abductions. Compared with the previous month, the number of such incidents decreased by 8, the death toll increased by 41, and the number of abducted people fell by 406.

Analysis identifies two primary reasons for the persistently high number of armed attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria this month:

Year-end and New Year period as a peak season for armed attacks: Statistics show that 23 armed attacks and kidnappings occurred around Christmas and the New Year period, accounting for 40% of the total. On Christmas Eve, armed groups attacked a farm and a community in Benue State, killing 7 people and abducting many others. On the same night, a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri—the capital of northeastern Borno State—was hit by a bombing, killing 10 worshippers and injuring 35.
Active operations by various terrorist organizations and criminal gangs: In northeastern Borno State and other areas, groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continued to carry out attacks. On the night of December 1, Boko Haram militants raided a community in Borno State, abducting 8 local residents. On December 29, Boko Haram attacked the Zahi and Muban communities in Adamawa State, killing at least 14 people and injuring 2 others.

In north-central and mid-western regions including Zamfara State, Kaduna State, and Sokoto State, banditry was rampant, with multiple large-scale armed attacks and kidnappings reported. Between December 20 and 25, Zamfara State suffered successive attacks by armed militants, resulting in 6 deaths and 35 abductions.

In central regions such as Kwara State, Plateau State, and Benue State, violent crimes including conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, and ethnic clashes continued to escalate, accompanied by frequent kidnappings and robberies. On December 16, bandits attacked a construction site in Kwara State, abducting 7 workers on duty. On December 21, bandits intercepted a bus in Plateau State at gunpoint, abducting at least 28 people.

In response to the severe security situation, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced on December 22 that all armed groups operating in the country are designated as terrorist organizations. Going forward, any armed group involved in kidnapping, attacks, or intimidation of civilians will be formally classified as a terrorist organization and subject to corresponding legal actions.

Additionally, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced in mid-December the establishment of a Joint Counter-Terrorism Force to address the growing threats of terrorism and cross-border security challenges. Comprising personnel from 15 member states, the force will focus on combating terrorist organizations, armed insurgents, and cross-border cybercrime. It will enhance the region's overall response capacity to terrorist attacks and armed violence through intelligence sharing, joint military operations, and rapid response mechanisms.

(3) U.S. Military Strike on Northwestern Nigeria

Following U.S. President Trump's announcement of military intervention in Nigeria in early November, U.S. forces launched a military strike against northwestern Nigeria in the early hours of December 25. During the operation, the U.S. Africa Command fired 16 GPS-guided precision missiles and deployed MQ-9 Reaper drones from the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, targeting a stronghold of Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Jabo Village, Sokoto State.

The U.S. military stated that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed and 2 strongholds destroyed in the strike, marking the first time U.S. forces have launched a military attack against a West African country.

After the strike, Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the air raid was part of Nigeria-U.S. security cooperation, authorized by President Bola Tinubu, with intelligence shared between the two sides. However, Nigerian citizens argued that the U.S. operation could further complicate the security situation and fail to address the root causes of domestic security issues. Some analysts warned that armed militants might relocate or infiltrate into Niger State, Kaduna State, Kwara State, and southwestern regions in the aftermath of the airstrike, potentially spreading armed attacks to more areas. Religious leaders called on the federal government to terminate all military cooperation with the United States, asserting that U.S. intervention would exacerbate religious divisions in Nigeria and undermine national sovereignty.

(4) Heavy Casualties Caused by Public Safety Incidents

In December, Nigeria recorded 9 major public safety incidents, claiming 44 lives. These incidents mainly included traffic accidents, explosions, and shipwrecks. Notably, a multi-vehicle collision occurred on the Dutse-Kiyawa Highway in Jigawa State on December 30, killing 18 people and seriously injuring 2 others.

The Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria also remained severe in December. The latest report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that as of December 14, a total of 9,164 suspected cases had been reported across 106 local government areas in 21 states. Among these, 1,097 cases were confirmed, with 201 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.3%—higher than the 16.8% recorded in the same period in 2024.

Compared with the previous month, suspected cases increased by 485, confirmed cases rose by 102, and deaths increased by 17. Currently, the outbreak is concentrated in Ondo State, Edo State, Taraba State, and Bauchi State, which account for 67% of all confirmed cases nationwide.

(5) Intensified Military Counter-Terrorism and Crime Crackdowns

Against the backdrop of the nationwide state of emergency, Nigeria's military and police forces escalated counter-terrorism operations in December, neutralizing 121 armed militants and rescuing a large number of abducted individuals.

On December 21, a spokesperson for the Nigerian President announced that all students and teachers abducted from a school in Niger State the previous month had been safely released. On December 30, Nigeria's Ministry of Defense stated that between December 25 and 29, Nigerian troops had eliminated over 80 terrorists, rescued 34 abducted civilians, and arrested dozens of suspects. In Niger State and Katsina State, security forces repelled coordinated attacks by armed militants along the Mariga LGA and Shanono-Katsina axis, rescuing 1 civilian and recovering 78 stolen cattle and 28 sheep.

Nigerian military and police also stepped up crackdowns on various criminal activities nationwide, arresting 11 illegal miners. In Delta State, 2 oil thieves were apprehended, with 104 sacks (2,600 liters) of crude oil recovered.

In addition, Nigeria's Defense Headquarters recently released a report stating that in 2025, Nigerian military forces conducted nationwide counter-terrorism operations, achieving the following results:

Neutralized 2,351 terrorists, rescued 2,336 abducted individuals, arrested 4,375 suspects, and accepted the surrender of 1,616 terrorists and their family members.
In the northeast region: Eliminated several terrorist leaders, arrested 1,323 suspects, rescued 498 hostages, and seized a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, vehicles, and 32 million Naira in cash.
In the northwest region: Arrested 669 suspects and rescued 966 abducted people.
In the north-central region: Through Operation "Enduring Peace" and Operation "Whirlwind", arrested 802 suspects, rescued 217 abducted individuals, and seized a batch of weapons and ammunition.
In the Niger Delta region: Operation "Delta Safe" neutralized 778 criminals, rescued 53 abducted people, foiled an oil theft case worth 8.9 billion Naira, dismantled 503 illegal oil refineries, and recovered over 16.6 million liters of crude oil, 1.25 million liters of diesel, 407,734 liters of kerosene, and 1.5 million liters of gasoline.
In the southeast region: Effectively suppressed the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN), neutralizing dozens of extremists, arresting 324 suspects, and rescuing 64 abducted individuals.

Table 2: Classification and Comparison of Security Incidents in December

Table 3: Classification Statistics of Fatalities in December

Table 4: Comparison of Major Security Incidents in December vs. November

II. Risk Warnings and Prevention Recommendations

Table 5: Recent Social Security Risk Warnings for Nigeria

In view of Nigeria’s complex social environment and high-risk security assessment, the following security measures are recommended:

Implement round-the-clock security services for all trips
Police presence is limited in Nigeria’s remote rural areas, coupled with poor road infrastructure. Security forces often exhibit significant response delays to violent crimes, riots and conflicts. Therefore, Chinese-funded enterprises and other entities shall obtain the latest local security intelligence in a timely manner, conduct specific security assessments of travel destinations, and arrange for security personnel to accompany all trips.
Stay vigilant against the severe and complex security situation
This month coincided with Christmas and New Year’s Day, and the U.S. military strike on Nigeria has further complicated the already severe security landscape, with armed attacks and kidnappings remaining rampant. On December 3, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria and the Consulate General in Lagos issued a security alert via the official embassy website, urging Chinese citizens in Nigeria to strengthen safety precautions. The alert noted that Nigeria is facing a severe and complex security situation recently, with frequent occurrences of violent incidents such as terrorist attacks, armed kidnappings, protests, demonstrations and riots across the country, leading to an overall high security risk. Chinese-funded enterprises and citizens in Nigeria must attach great importance to personnel safety, learn from past lessons, guard against complacency and luck, conduct comprehensive inspections to identify potential security risks, enhance security awareness, upgrade security levels for personnel and premises, and ensure the safety of personnel and property. In case of emergency security incidents, please call the police immediately and contact the Chinese embassy or consulate.
Effectively avoid potential risks
Most attacks in Nigeria occur in the northeastern and north-central regions, especially in central Maiduguri of Borno State, roads connecting major towns, border areas with Niger, and Zamfara State. Security incidents have also occurred frequently in Kaduna State and Abuja recently. In the event of a terrorist attack, follow official instructions immediately, contact the designated security service provider, and seek rescue without delay. Install video surveillance systems at residential compounds, shops, warehouses and dwellings. Camps should be equipped with security facilities such as trenches, high walls, barbed wire, anti-collision barriers, buffer zones and alarm systems, reinforce military and police security forces, and expand the scope of defense. At the same time, avoid lingering near locations that may be targeted by armed attacks, including government and security force facilities, landmark buildings and religious sites. In Nigeria, it is particularly important to minimize the time spent in crowded public places in the northeastern region, religious festival venues, ethnically mixed areas, high-crime zones (especially highways and piracy-prone areas in the Gulf of Guinea), oil and gas facilities, government and military camp facilities, diplomatic embassies, religious places of worship, schools, markets, refugee camps, and public transportation hubs.

Nigeria Security Situation Overview for December 2025 (Issue No. 282 in Total)